The Immortal Maiden
by RavenRose8
Summary: Ruby Rose has been around since the beginning. Lived a long life, forever stuck at the age of twenty-one. Alongside this she has been granted the Summer Maiden powers. The only Summer Maiden ever. But the wizard has an important mission for her. Protect the Maiden's. When they are threatened once more, she must reveal herself to protect them. (Follows the normal story, with twists)
1. Chapter 1

**The Immortal Maiden**

The four Maiden's, four of the most powerful women on the planet and as the story goes they were given their power by a callous old man.

Their power was in response to the kindness and what they taught and did for the old man. But before they were the Maiden's they were just four ordinary women, but this wasn't completely true.

They were four friends, sisters even, Huntresses that fought the Grimm but there was something special about one of them. It wasn't until they gained their powers that they found out.

Ruby was the first ever Summer Maiden, preferring the name Ruby over her given name, when the man gave them all their powers she was asked to stay behind to speak to the man.

"Yes sir?" Ruby asked sweetly, she had grown into a beautiful twenty-one-year-old woman with long black hair with red tips and highlights, she was tall almost six feet and she wore a black puffy skirt with a black shirt and corset with a red cloak over the top of everything.

"Ruby you don't need to call me sir, I think we're rather equal now." The man said kindly.

"Sir?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"I felt it when I gave you the powers. You're immortal. I don't know how I didn't notice you before." The man said.

"How did you know?" Ruby asked tensely.

"When I gave you the powers I felt it, the immortality. It has a special imprint; you've been around a while as well haven't you?" The man said kindly.

"I have." Ruby said.

"Good, good. I have something special for you to do. The other three, they will die and the power will move on. But you, you won't. How many lives have you lived?" The man asked as he looked at Ruby.

"Too many. Have…have you got a way to end it? I've tried, so hard but I just can't, I heal too fast that nothing works." Ruby said her voice was level throughout.

"I'm afraid not, I do not have that power. But I have a purpose for you, something that may be able to help you. I recognise you from the first Grimm attack, I don't know how I forgot." The man said.

"What is it you wish?" Ruby asked.

The old man smiled as he invited Ruby into his house so they could talk more on the matter before allowing Ruby to go again.

So Ruby watched, she fought Grimm, fought evil but most of all she just watched as the world went on around her while she didn't age.

She watched once more as her friends died and the Maiden's power passed on to new women, each time Ruby would meet the new Maiden's and guide them through the transition.

That was until the fourth rebirth of the Maiden. It was the Winter Maiden who had been killed by a woman hungry for power, the power ended up being passed on through to said woman.

After this had happened Ruby spoke to the old man, the man still being alive and she discovered how the powers transferred to their new owners.

When the Winter Maiden started going crazy with the powers she now had, it fell to Ruby to put her down. It was a sad affair for Ruby to have to kill another human being but after this happened the Brotherhood was set up to protect the Maiden's.

Ruby avoided the brotherhood, understanding what they were doing but chose not to get involved with the group however she always made herself known to the other three Maiden's, swearing them to secrecy afterwards as to just who she was.

So far the brotherhood had been unable to ever find any Summer Maiden, which was how Ruby preferred it.

For weapons Ruby used a mixture, depending what sort of life she was leading in that certain time. Sometimes she would be playing the part of a doctor, others a simple shopkeeper but no matter her profession during the life she was armed.

Commonly it was two revolvers strapped onto her thighs that she used but when she was playing the part of Huntress she had two other weapons as well, a special sword and shield she had crafted herself when Dust was first discovered.

The sword had a narrow ergonomic grip which allowed it to be used for lighter hands, and a dual trigger system so it could be wielded for both single and double handed strikes, the edge was razor sharp and there were two exhausts for the gun, a primary one for clean hits and a secondary after burn one to maximize clean hits.

It was as long as Ruby's leg and would settle nicely on her hip when she wasn't using it and even folded into a snub nosed gun, the name of said weapon being inscribed by Ruby as Vanishing Star.

In her left arm was a shield, that could be folded on her arm and act as a sort of wrist guard but when deployed, a quarter black and a quarter silver with the other half on opposite sides while the two semi-circles divided along the middle were energy shields powered by dust.

Ruby had also built a specialist launcher on her wrist that could fire the shield and depending the sort of dust inside would have different effects on the opponent.

They were her two precious weapons, she had others, her beloved Crescent Rose however, her first weapon was forever stored away, unable to be used.

Life was boring for Ruby, hundreds of years past and the only constant was her weapons and the old man who she would meet up with at least once a year but other than that she found nothing.

She didn't care for love, she would just outlive anyone that she got close to so she wandered, protected humans from the Grimm and protected the Maiden's from the humans.

It wasn't until a little over two thousand years later that things had started to pick up. She had been on her way to meet the Fall Maiden when she felt it.

The cold chill moved down her arm as she was walking down the dirt road and she heard the sound of fighting happening further along the road.

Seeing the thunder clouds in the air Ruby sprinted forward, her semblance igniting as soon as she started to run while she drew her two revolvers first.

She saw two people holding Amber up on her knees while another woman slowly walked towards them.

Acting on instincts honed over the years Ruby immediately deployed her shield and threw her arm forward, firing the shield which had red dust powering it, directly at the green haired woman while her guns lit up as she fired at the man.

Ruby didn't display any emotions as her rounds shattered one of the man's legs while another round tore through his shoulder, his Aura doing nothing to protect against the bullets.

She had emptied all twelve rounds at the two people holding Amber as her shield returned to her, she jumped over Amber and the two wounded people while she activated her shield and shot it at Amber, said item putting a protective barrier over the woman.

In the same move Ruby had put her pistols away and had drawn her sword and went on the offensive, meeting the woman's two swords as they got into a lock.

Breaking the lock Ruby caught sight of the mark on the woman's hand and she growled out at seeing it, "Where did you get that mark?" Ruby growled out.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The woman replied as she attempted to strike out at Ruby.

Ruby blocked one strike with her sword while the strike was simply knocked away by her hand, "I would. But I guess it won't matter." Ruby replied, as she knocked both of Cinder's swords out of her hands and grabbed the hand with the mark.

Ruby put her blade against Cinder's neck while kicking her down onto her knees while she held the hand with the red tattoo in her own, as her hand erupted into fire and Cinder screamed.

Ruby didn't stop until she felt bullets impact on her back but they were simply absorbed by her body's natural shield.

Ruby dropped Cinder to the floor as she clutched her servery burnt hand while Ruby turned to face the one shooting, "You shouldn't have done that child. Whatever path she is leading you down is the wrong one, but it seems you don't realise this, no matter." Ruby said, raising her hands up as the wind started to whip around them all.

Ruby's eyes turned pure black as the wind picked up as she threw all three of the attackers into the field next to them but was distracted when she heard someone rushing over to Amber.

That was all the distraction that Cinder and co needed to escape form her as the wind died down around her.

She didn't release the shield or her weapon as she saw the man approaching the kneeling Amber, "Who are you?" Ruby asked sternly, sword raised and pointed at him.

The man raised his hands in defence as he said. "I'm a friend, please, let me help her." The man said.

"No. She isn't safe in your hands or that of your brotherhood. Be lucky I am letting you tell your friends of me." Ruby said coldly, walking over to Amber and deactivated her shield letting Amber fall into her arms.

"It's alright sweetie, I've got you." Ruby whispered comfortingly as she glared at the man in front of her before vanishing into thin air.

A few hours later when Ruby had removed the arrow from Amber's back and managed to heal her up the woman had slept for a little bit before waking up from a nightmare in Ruby's arms.

She had managed to get them to her house in the city, or rather one of her houses and she managed to get the girl calm enough to stay there with her.

"Your safe now sweetie, they didn't take your powers." Ruby whispered softly, kissing the top of the woman's head.

A few minutes later when Amber had calmed down Ruby spoke up again, "Want to head out for ice cream? I know this amazing little place not far from here, it's got so many flavours. Or I'm sure I've got a tub of chocolate ice cream and we can just sit here and eat it." Ruby suggested cheerfully.

 **A/N**

 **Yeah I know, 'Another new story? But he's got loads to finish first.' I promise I'm getting around to them, and I'm sure you can tell this is going to be a pretty big one. I'm up to volume two at the moment in writing this and already have planned quite a few things for later on.**

 **This is more a proof of concept. I've been wanting to do an Immortal AU for a while, but this is the first one I've wanted to post. But as I said, this is a proof of concept. I wanted to get the idea out there first, see a general reaction but I'll finish other things first.**

 **And this won't be posted on again until I actually have an end point, which in theory won't be until I finish my other stories, but I want the idea out there.**

 **Don't worry, I have a lot planned for this. Oh and if you recognise the weapons, do you also recognise where I get the inspiration? And I don't mean the source material but someone who used said characters for something. ;) Couldn't help but watch it again and love the weapons.**

 **Anyway that's it from me, just a proof of concept thing.**

 **Until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**And I want to thank Gorsouul, they have helped me so much with this story, proofreading and giving me feedback on the early chapters, I am forever in their debt for it. So thank you dearly.**

 _Is immortality a gift or a curse? Forever being alive without dying, but then what about watching your friends all wither and die? So tell me, is it a gift or a curse?_

 **Chapter 2-**

"You…you want…to…get ice cream?" Amber asked in stuttered disbelief.

"Yep. Ice creams amazing, best medicine and I've got an extensive history to know it's true." Ruby replied with a large smile.

"Um…sure?" Amber said, unsure about what to do. She knew this woman was the Summer Maiden and she had helped her when she first gained the powers but she didn't know much about the woman.

"Great. Come on then, you'll love this place." Ruby said, pulling Amber up and got her to put her shoes on.

Dragging her out to the ice cream place they saw a rather old looking man behind the counter and another short woman behind there as well.

"Ah Ruby, welcome back and I see you brought a friend." The man said happily.

"Hello sir, this is Amber, I told you about her." Ruby said, introducing Amber to the man.

"Oh yes I remember now, she is as lovely as you said." The man said, looking at Amber with a certain glint in his eyes before remembering something, "Oh have you met Neo? She's helping me out in the shop, I'm getting too old to do this myself." The man said.

"You've been getting too old for years." Ruby teased but the smile on both of their faces relieved the other two.

"Yes, yes I know. But what can I say? I like to keep busy. So Neo's rather cute don't you think? I mean look at that hair, rather exotic. It reminds me of something." The man said, smiling at the blushing Neo and the scowling Ruby.

"You should remember that you shouldn't meddle with things. How many times have you been wrong?" Ruby said, all hints of humour gone from her face.

"What can I say? I'm an old man who wants to see the best for you, can't help it. And who said I'm wrong this time?" The man replied.

Ruby sighed as she looked over to Neo before going back to the man, "You're making her uncomfortable." Ruby stated as she turned to Neo, "I apologise for his behaviour. It's a pleasure to meet you Neo, my name is Ruby." Ruby said, holding her hand out to Neo who accepted it while she heard the man mutter under his breath.

'So you're Ruby today'

"Could you get me chocolate please, Amber?" Ruby said, turning to Amber.

"Same…please." Amber said shyly.

Taking the ice cream, they smiled their thanks as Ruby paid for them both while the man went up to the door and closed the shop as he asked Neo.

"Neo, would you check on our stock please?" He asked kindly.

"Sure." Neo said, going out the back while the man sat down with Amber and Ruby. "Right, so tell me what happened. From the beginning if you please." The man said, his voice gentle and kind.

She didn't know what made her talk, or trust this man so much but Amber started to explain the attack, the fact she was on the way to meet Ruby when she found a child but was attacked.

When Amber had finished her tale, with Ruby filling in the blanks of what happened once she intervened up until they arrived there.

"Ruby, why don't you go speak to Neo while I talk to Amber about a few things." The man said, pointing towards the back.

"As you wish." Ruby said, standing but felt Amber's hand reach out for hers, "You're safe, I'm only out the back there and he won't hurt you, trust me." Ruby said.

Amber was unsure but searched Ruby's eyes and finding nothing but a gentle calmness and comfort and so she gently released Ruby's hand, allowing Ruby to go out back.

"So I'm sure you heard the story of the Maiden's, but how about I tell you a few things that weren't spoken about in the story you learnt." The man said, that same glint back in his eyes as he held his secrets close.

"What do you mean?" Amber asked, giving the man permission to enter into his story.

Ruby quietly opened the door to the back rooms to see Neo, looking rather bored as she was standing inside the freezer cold room as she took stock.

"Why don't you come out of there and we can chat." Ruby said, startling the young woman causing Ruby to smirk.

"Um sure." Neo replied awkwardly, coming out of the room to sit at the table Ruby directed her to. "Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate?" Ruby asked as she put the kettle on.

"Um hot chocolate please." Neo said, a little embarrassed at her favoured hot drink.

"Oh good, someone who appreciated one of this centuries better inventions." Ruby replied as she poured two mugs of hot chocolate, handing one of them to Neo as she sat down.

Taking a sip Ruby couldn't help but moan in pleasure at the taste, "Oh he knows how much I love this type of hot chocolate." Ruby said, moaning slightly.

Neo blushed at how sexual the woman's moan sounded but also how amazing she thought it sounded as well, wanting to hear it again but clearly it wasn't going to happen.

"So how are you Neo?" Ruby asked.

"I'm uh fine, thank you. And you?" Neo replied awkwardly, looking into Ruby's silver eyes.

"I'm well. May I ask how you met him? The old man I mean." Ruby asked.

"Oh uh well, I was looking for a job and handed out my CV and well he gave me this job." Neo answered rather awkwardly and it was easy to work out that it was a lie.

Ruby smiled as she tripled blinked, her eyes becoming pure black but Neo didn't flinch back but just got lost in the eyes, "Oh really?" Ruby said huskily, questioning the truth.

"No. I lied." Neo said, her voice losing its awkwardness as she spoke while her eyes never left Ruby's pure black eyes, with her eyes even going to their pale blue.

"He found me on the street trying to steal some money from someone. He didn't stop me but somehow followed me back to where I was staying, an old abandoned warehouse. He offered me a job and a place to stay. I was reluctant but he told me where to go if I was interested and left me a thousand Lien. I came here the next day." Neo explained but before she could continue she was interrupted by the door opening.

"Ruby! Stop manipulating the girl. Now!" The man said, sounding angry at Ruby.

Ruby just smiled as she blinked again, her eyes returning to their natural silver colour. "Oh relax, I was just making sure of something. Don't worry so much." Ruby said, throwing off his concerns as Neo seemed to be recovering from what had happened.

"I spoke with Amber, told her the truth about us both. I think she wants to go back, and you're cooking dinner for Neo as well after that stunt." The man said, angry as he stared at Ruby.

"If that's what she wants, I won't force her to come over for dinner." Ruby said, turning to look at the confused Neo. "Would you like to come over to my house for dinner? I'm cooking." Ruby said.

"Sure. I'd love to, is that alright?" Neo said excited to spend more time with the woman as she asked the man for permission.

"Of course it is my dear, spend as much time as you want." The man said, smiling at the woman.

"Oh and could I have the covers please?" Ruby asked.

"Right, I've got them in here." The man said, taking out a pile of folders from underneath a table and handed them to Ruby.

"Thanks." Ruby said, "Alright then, follow me to my lovely home." Ruby said, getting Neo and Amber to follow her back to her house.

As she let the pair inside her house, Amber having been quiet the entire trip back to her house but upon getting inside though Amber was quick to go onto the couch and sit down.

Ruby's house was rather simple, the downstairs was made up of the kitchen, a living room that had a four seater couch and two single seaters alongside a rather large looking TV.

A door led towards the kitchen though it had an open window without glass so you could look inside and a dining table behind the couch.

There was another door that led to a large bathroom and up the stairs were three large bedrooms, each one being a master bedroom in and of itself.

Each contained a large king sized bed alongside a private bathroom with a shower. Lastly there was a forth door that led to a private room for Ruby, which she used to store important things over the years.

Seeing the thoughts going through Amber's mind she gave the folders to her and said, "Why don't you have a look through them and see which ones you like." Ruby said, "Neo why don't you help her why I start dinner?" Ruby suggested.

"Sure." Neo replied, sitting next to Amber who luckily didn't move away.

Ruby smiled as she went into the kitchen making a start on dinner, a good hearty meal was in order so she started getting the materials together to start cooking.

About an hour later while Ruby was cutting up some vegetables for the food she heard the door open and Amber came into the kitchen, closing the door.

"Is Neo alright?" Ruby asked without turning.

"Uh yeah, she's fine. She's sorting out a movie on the TV saying we could all watch it together." Amber replied.

"Sounds like a good idea, how are you doing?" Ruby asked.

"Better, I guess I thought those from the stories were dead but well…" Amber trailed off as she spoke.

"Blame the brotherhood, they circulated that story but they only knew second and even third hand knowledge of the events. I was a secret outside of the Maiden's. I knew each and every one of them, watched them as they grew into their powers and grew old. I was an immortal before I met the old man, I've been here since the start. Lost in a way, but I was given a purpose. Protect the Maiden's and guard them against humans and Grimm alike. Sometimes…I had to put them down." Ruby said, her tone mournful as she spoke.

"Put down? Why?" Amber couldn't help but ask.

"I'm sure the brotherhood told you about the reasons they took the Maiden's from the public eye. Well that's because someone stole the Maiden's powers, I learnt how they were passed on after that and I ended up putting down the evil Maiden. The brotherhood stated soon after but I don't trust humans so I didn't bother getting involved." Ruby answered.

"But I'm human. The other Maidens are human, you trust us. Right?" Amber exclaimed, confused.

"That's different. The Maiden's aren't really human once they gain their powers. More like demi-gods or rather goddesses, the powers you wield, we wield, is incredible and we've got a lot of responsibility thrown onto us. We have to keep secrets, and only another Maiden can understand my reasons, each of them know me. I've guarded them as best I can, as I'm sure you could tell I've led a large number of lives." Ruby answered but her tone remained mournful.

"How…how are you immortal?" Amber asked.

"You know, you're the first one to ask that." Ruby said, smiling at the woman. "The easiest way to explain it is that my cells regenerate at an extremely fast rate. I could be shot in the heart and a few minutes later I'm back up and kicking the ass of whoever shot me." Ruby said rather cheerfully.

"It sounds amazing, but incredibly sad. Watching all your friends and people you know die around you as you live on." Amber said sadly.

Ruby remained silent as she turned around to put all the food together and served the Sheppard's pie onto three plates. "Come on." Ruby said, changing the topic instantly.

Ruby carried all three plates over to the table as she called out to Neo, "Dinner." The three of them sat down quietly as they began to eat, no one speaking up.

Amber unsure what to say to Ruby as she felt she had offended Ruby somehow and Neo didn't speak up as she felt the tension between the two other women.

Once they had finished Ruby cleaned up but as she was coming back she was stopped by the two women, or rather Neo who had dragged Amber with her.

"Right. What happened? You were fine before we sat down for dinner." Neo said.

"It's nothing. Amber just said something that was a little too on the nose." Ruby replied.

"Right. Can we stop with the awkward tension then?" Neo said, seeing nods from both of them she smiled, "Great. Do you want to see the cover we picked?" Neo asked.

 **A/N**

 **Yeah I know, lots of shifting emotions suddenly in this, oh and also I know I said I wouldn't update again but when I get a hundred and ten emails overnight, about three of them being for stories I follow. I feel like I should do something and explain a few things.**

 **In the next chapter, whenever I decide to post it, will contain the starting of a soul mark thing, basically it's a moving tattoo that reacts whenever close to the soulmate. If you've read my stories before, you know where this will be heading. If not, then I ask that you check out my other work, you'll see what I'm talking about.**

 **Just thought I would warn you because some people might not like it. I'm halfway through volume two arc in writing and it's not actually come up that much, as I'm sure you can guess why. But thought I would give you that heads up in case people don't like it.**

 **That's about it, don't expect any more updates on this for quite a while, at least until I finish two other pieces which I'm fairly sure I can do depending how long I want to make them, which won't be very long.**

 **Until next time, and thank you for all the support already.**


	3. Chapter 3

_If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near. -Sun Tzu_

 **Chapter 3-**

"Sure. Let's go into my room so I can change." Ruby said, bringing the pair into her rather bare room. Nothing on display just a king sized bed with a large walk in wardrobe that seemed to dominate the room.

"Right, why don't you two sit on the bed while I sort out what it is I need to look like. What's my new name?" Ruby asked, not surprised how easy the pair got used to the fact she had multiply identities even though Neo didn't know why.

"Claire Church, eighteen years old and a huntress in training from Signal, no place at any of the academies as of yet." Neo read out.

"Got it. Looks?" Ruby asked.

"She has purple eyes and short dark purple hair. Also favours trousers and leather jackets with a corset." Amber answered.

"Fucker, knows I love my long hair." Ruby said, taking out a pair of scissors but put them to the side as she opened a draw filled with different bottles of eye drops. Taking out on of them she took the dropper out and put a couple drops of the liquid into each eye.

Blinking rapidly a few times Ruby turned back to the pair of women to show her silver eyes had changed to purple. "This right? Or are they darker?" Ruby asked.

"No, they're right. How did you do that?" Amber asked, shocked at the sudden change.

"Special eye drops, I've got dozens of them all for different colours. My own blend, I have another type that removes it. Not harmful to the body and just naturally filters out of my body once I've finished with it. Or burn it from my system." Ruby answered.

"If you sell this you could make a fortune." Neo exclaimed.

"I already have enough money, and I think two of us being able to change eye colours is enough, don't you think?" Ruby teased.

"I guess." Neo said, unsure how to take what Ruby had said exactly.

"Right, who's good at cutting hair?" Ruby asked, looking at the pair when Amber raised her hand slowly.

"I've got a steady hand, and I've seen the picture I know what it's meant to look like." Amber said.

"Great. Here." Ruby said, handing the scissors over to Amber as she grabbed a stool and something to cover the floor with.

Once she was done she pulled her top off and corset leaving her in only a black bra. The two girls gasped as they saw a number of tattoos over Ruby's back.

"What are all these?" Neo asked.

"Different marks for different memories, and the one at the base of my neck is something special." Ruby answered.

They traced their fingers over some of the tattoos, the most prominent one being a large wolf howling at a full moon on Ruby's shoulder.

But what caught their eye was the tattoo at the base of her neck. It was of a yin-yan symbol but instead of a static tattoo like her other ones this one was constantly moving with a mixture of colours, pink, white and brown.

"What is that?" Amber couldn't help but ask. Touching the tattoo as it felt warm to touch.

"It's been on me since I've been born, I know what it is." Ruby replied, "Are you going to cut my hair?" Ruby asked, steering them away from the topic.

"Of course." Amber said, sitting on the edge of the bed while Neo held the picture up for her to follow as she started to cut away at Ruby's hair.

Once they had finished cutting her hair Ruby moved to dye her hair, coming back out with dark purple hair that was much darker than her eyes and seemed to fit her well.

"Right, personality?" Ruby asked next as she striped down to her underwear to put on the new clothes.

"Bubbly, tries to protect her friends and teammates but when she's fighting in combat she gets rather cold and commanding. Will fight to protect her team no matter what happens to her." Neo read out, using the chance to look away from Ruby's body.

"Semblance?" Ruby called out.

"Doesn't seem to be one written down on here, so I've no idea." Amber replied.

"Got it. Any other notes on there?" Ruby asked as she came out wearing black trousers and a black shirt with a black leather jacket which had a red interior.

"Doesn't seem to be, oh wait. Weapons." Amber pointed out, looking up to Ruby now that she was dressed.

"That'll be important. What do I use?" Ruby asked.

"Shield and a gun blade, oh and looks like she keeps twin pistols as a backup or for longer range." Neo stated.

"At least that's one blessing, he let me keep my weapons." Ruby said as she moved around in her clothes, "How do I look?" Ruby asked.

"Amazing. The hair really suits you." Neo said almost immediately.

"You look great, should we start calling you Claire now?" Amber asked.

"Thank you, both of you. And in public you should call me Claire, or around people. But when we're alone then you can call me whatever you want." Ruby said, smirking at the pair as she told them this.

The next month and a half Amber stayed with Ruby, the pair doing most things together with Neo joining them in doing this and Neo had all but moved in with the pair.

Ruby had kept up her façade as Claire, falling into the role so easily that she fooled Amber and Neo the first few times they went out together to see the sudden change in Ruby but they quickly got used to it.

But back to that first night together in Ruby's house before we get too far ahead of ourselves in this tale.

That evening when Neo had gone to sleep in the guest bedroom, Ruby remained awake while Amber joined her on the couch so they could speak a little more privately.

"So, what do you want to know? I'll answer whatever questions you have." Ruby said, sitting on the couch and looking at Amber.

"Who…who were those that attacked me?" Amber asked first.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them before, but we're working on finding out just who exactly attacked you." Ruby answered.

"Thank you…thank you for saving me, I don't know what would have happened otherwise." Amber said, tears forming in her eyes.

Ruby just smiled and opened her arms for the woman to hug her and cry into her shoulder. "It's fine. You're safe now, I won't let you get hurt." Ruby said softly to the crying woman.

It took a little while for Amber to finally calm down enough to stop crying but that didn't stop them from remaining together, hugging.

"Could you…could you tell me a story?" Amber asked softly.

"Sure. Years ago, there were two Huntresses and a Hunter. They were the first to discover Aura and by extension a Semblance. They fought the Grimm for a number of years, gaining more and more followers and supporters. They would train handfuls of people who wanted to fight the Grimm and to battle them. They became known as Hunters as a whole, but the three original people were known as Shadows." Ruby started to say, eyes drifting off.

"They were undefeatable by the Grimm, nothing could touch them. When Dust was discovered by the first in the Schnee line it was a game changer. Those who couldn't become Hunters soon became soldiers using Dust weapons following the command of the Hunters and by extension the Shadows."

"This caused a turning point, the Grimm were finally pushed back enough that it meant that the Hunters and Huntresses just needed to keep them in check, allowing people to build villages, towns and even cities." Ruby said, sounding proud as she spoke.

"The three Shadows decided together to train future generations in their ways, they knew they wouldn't live forever so to make sure their ways were passed on they took their best students and made them into teachers, and created the Hunter academies. The first of which was Beacon Academy. And to this day they still follow the teachings of the original three and even have a statue dedicated to them at each school." Ruby finished off, smiling as she felt how relaxed Amber was in her arms.

"What are the Shadows?" Amber asked softly, sleep evident in her voice.

"A name coined up by people, they were like a shadow, not truly there but were always there. They couldn't be hit so people started to call them Shadows and they simply adopted the name." Ruby explained.

"You…your one of them aren't you?" Amber asked.

"I was. The two others, they were my first friends and knew my secret. About twenty years after they died the Maiden's came into the picture." Ruby said, leaving out things that happened in between those two events.

"What's that tattoo on your back? By your neck." Amber asked, sounding sleepy.

"Why don't you rest for a little bit? I can tell you tomorrow." Ruby said softly.

"I'm awake. Please tell me?" Amber asked, getting a sudden burst of energy.

Ruby just smiled as she pulled Amber back down as she jumped up, "Alright. But this will be our secret ok?" Ruby said.

Amber just nodded her head in return, eagerly waiting for Ruby to tell her.

"It's an old thing, very old. Only I seemed to have this moving tattoo at first but I discovered my two friends, the shadows. Had it as well, we weren't sure exactly what it was at first but it got explained to us by a man before he vanished. All rather weird but we had nothing else to lose." Ruby stated.

"It's a soulmates mark. To my knowledge we were the only three with this mark. And well they found their mates, while I've yet to find them. The tattooed symbol corresponds with the person's symbol, and the colours inside match the person's hair. It is constantly moving until you meet them and bond." Ruby explained.

"Bond? What do you mean by that?" Amber asked curiously.

"My friends said it's when you get into a relationship with your Mate to the point of love, and you have sex or rather make love. They told me it was the most fulfilling moment in their lives, where they felt like they belonged in their mate's arms and that they were complete. They both found their mates while I didn't, I blame my curse for it." Ruby said, sounding sad that Amber snuggled in closer to the sad woman.

"Neo has the same coloured hair." Amber said quietly.

"I know." Ruby replied.

"Do you think?" Amber asked, her question trailing off.

"I don't know. The old man is always meddling but it's the first time I've seen someone with that colour hair." Ruby stated.

"Then surely…" Amber started to say but Ruby cut her off, sharply.

"Let's go to bed." She said, picking Amber up as she was too tired to walk and the duo fell asleep.

The next morning Ruby made breakfast for the three of them as she said to Neo that she had a place here if she wanted to stay or ever come around.

Neo thanked the woman and over the next few months, for reasons she can't explain except felling a pull to this woman that she spent more time at their house then she ever did at her apartment.

After a month together in the house Ruby revealed herself to Neo, telling her the truth about the Maiden's while at the same time telling her about her immortality but she didn't tell her about the soul mark on her back, even when Neo asked after it.

 **A/N**

 **So this story if fully written out, just over thirty thousand words in total and a sequel planned/started as well. It'll be a chapter a week, though I'm not sure just which day I'm going to release them on.**

 **Next chapter will be Ruby telling Neo about the Maiden etc. This was finished before the finale but I'm following my own path, but Ruby's eyes will come into it like the show. Wish we knew more about it, but so be it.**

 **Not too much to think, I'm sure the hints of what's going to happen will come through in this chapter. I'm also going to be skipping over the boring parts, only doing important scenes that I felt needed to be done and wanted to do. So there will be time skips, and for example with the tournament, I'm not going into each round only the important things.**

 **I gloss over stuff because I assume you've seen the show, if not. Go watch it then come back. But it should be the next chapter, near the end where I start getting involved with the show.**

 **Anyway, thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews. They're all very much appreciated.**

 **Until next time.**

 **(Oh and any quotes about immortals and immortality are very welcome.)**


	4. Chapter 4

_"One has to pay dearly for immortality; you have to die several times while you're alive" (Don't know the author, but this was suggested by HispanicSamuri)_

 **Chapter 4-**

Amber was watching TV while Ruby cooked with Neo's help, using the act of doing something as an effective means to avoid hopefully issues with what she wanted to talk about.

"So Neo, do you know the story if the Seasons? The fairy tale." Ruby asked suddenly, almost randomly as they were working together.

"Um of course I do, I remember hearing it and the old man told me it a couple of times as well, said it was his favourite story. Pretty sure he was a little loopy on those days." Neo commented.

"He's not as loopy as you would think. The stories are true. There were four women all given amazing powers, three of which when they died the powers were passed on to the next, and the next. This all happened a little over two thousand years ago, a man gave four women powers in return for the kindness they showed him." Ruby began to explain.

"These three Maiden's, Fall, Winter and Spring all lived their lives to the fullest, never letting the power go to their head even with the admiration of the common people. When they passed to the next life, their powers moved on to the next person. And this cycle has repeated itself over the years into present day. However, the Maidens are far removed from the public eye by a brotherhood." Ruby explained, turning to face Neo who looked at her with a face full of confusion and curiosity.

"Who is this brotherhood?" Neo asked.

"A group of humans, leaders or protectors. Either name is correct, they know a lot more then what the public knows all for their best interest, or how they perceive it to be. They removed the Maidens from the public eye to protect them, for the last person in their thoughts is the person who will gain the power. Which made for greedy humans to attempt to take the power. I have put down my fair share of them." Ruby commented lightly, almost emotionless but Neo could tell the anger in her voice.

"They believe this to be in the best interest so have allowed the Maidens to fall into myth and legend, it is sad but I cannot change that now. Amber is the Fall Maiden, I helped rescue her from people attempting to steal her powers but I got there first. That is why she is with me. And why I trust her, I'm telling you this because I trust you as well. Which you're actually taking it rather calmly." Ruby stated.

"I guess I knew something was up, the old man had this weird thing. I always had this feeling there was something he wasn't telling me, I got the same with you and well I guess this answers it. Though I have a couple of questions." Neo said.

"Go ahead." Ruby replied, returning to carrying on dinner.

"You said three Maidens lived their lives and passed the powers on, what about the forth? Summer?" Neo asked.

"Summer, she was different. When she was given the power she already had a power though this one was different. She was immortal. Fated to never die, no matter how hard she tried. Every wound she received would heal within seconds, mortal wounds within minutes. The old man knew this and gave her a task. Watch over the other Maidens. Protect them. And to this day, that is what I do." Ruby said, not looking at Neo as she was scared for her reaction.

"You're...you're immortal?" Neo stuttered out, though she wasn't scared but instead her voice held pity.

Ruby felt Neo hug her from behind, wrapping her arms tightly around the taller woman and Ruby melted into the embrace, a smile slowly forming on her face. "I am." Ruby whispered.

"I'm sorry." Neo replied, hugging Ruby a little bit tighter. "Could I ask; why don't you trust humans? But you trusted me enough to stay here with you when we had barely met?" Neo asked, changing the topic but remained attached to Ruby.

"The old man trusted you." Ruby said, though Neo didn't completely believe her she didn't say anymore as she felt that Ruby didn't want to tell her just yet.

"Is there any other questions?" Ruby asked.

"I can't think of any, is it ok if I ask some at random whenever I think of them?" Neo asked.

"Of course it is. Now come on, let's cook." Ruby said, moving them on from the serious talk so they could finish up dinner.

Afterwards Amber was delighted to hear that Neo knew the truth, meaning they didn't have to hide it anymore while after dinner Ruby gave Neo a weapon with a promise she would teach the smaller girl how to fight.

"Now I'm sure I've got something you'll like here." Ruby mumbled to herself as she entered the basement of her house which was lined with different weapons, Neo and Amber followed after her.

"Aha. This was a weapon a dear friend used, she was a lady of high status in the days of old, always rather popular but ready to fight within seconds." Ruby said, pulling out a white parasol and showing it to the two women.

"What sort of weapon is an umbrella?" Amber asked, disappointed by it.

"Parasol. And one that has a blade hidden in it." Ruby said, twisting the handle and pulling out a blade in one hand and the rest of the parasol in the other. "She was rather a sneaky woman, quite funny seeing the shocked faces of people when they saw a lady pulling a sword out." Ruby said, smiling fondly at the memory.

"Can I hold it?" Neo asked, looking at the weapon.

"Here." Ruby said, handing it over, "And be careful, blades very sharp and it was laced in something but it should be extinct by now." Ruby commented.

Neo took the weapon carefully, taking a few practised swings with it and feeling the weight and practised putting it away and drawing it out.

"This feels great, lightweight and discrete." Neo said, "Can I keep it? And use it?" Neo asked.

"Of course, I can help you practise and I'm sure Amber will as well." Ruby said, and as they left the basement all three women had large smiles on their faces as they went to sleep for the night.

Keeping her word, Ruby trained Neo in not just swordplay but also other abilities like fighting hand to hand, which Amber helped with and how to fight people much larger and stronger than she was.

Around two months after the three were all living together, Ruby left one night telling the others that she needed to see the old man again and sort a few things out. He had left the ice cream shop in Neo's capable hands while he moved on to run a Dust shop, ignoring the problems with all the robberies on them.

Ruby had left Amber and Neo at her house when she went out that night, she needed to speak to the old man about a few things so she went to his latest store that he had opened.

Entering Dust till Dawn she laughed at the name as she went up to the counter, "How's it going?" Ruby asked.

"It's going well. Dust is a rather profitable business, even if I don't need it." The man said, smiling at Ruby.

"Well that's always good. I wanted to speak to you about Amber and the other Maidens." Ruby said.

"Well then, speak up." The man said.

"Amber's safe with me but what about the others? How do I know they're safe and that woman doesn't know anything about them?" Ruby asked.

"She doesn't, I've spoken with the other two they are laying low and have got protection from some of my agents. All of which have an instant panic button to contact you if something is happening, no matter how small." The man explained to Ruby before seeming a little panicked, "Go to the back of the shop. Now!" The man said, his tone brokering no argument.

Ruby moved instantly, going to the back of the shop just as the door opened and a group came into the shop, clearly robbing it.

Picking up a random magazine Ruby started to read it, pretending not to notice anything happening around her, at least that was until one of the henchmen came up to her.

"Oh. You're robbing me?" Ruby asked innocently.

"Uh duh." The man said, raising her weapon towards her.

"Oh." Ruby said, drawing the word out before her demeanour changed completely as she became cold, and smirked at the man before sending him skidding across the floor.

Drawing her sword, she drew a pistol along with it as she slowly walked towards the henchmen, not caring as she fired at them all though she didn't go for kill shots as she saw the man looking at her, so instead she just wounded them and left them on the floor.

Putting her empty gun back in its holster she pointed her sword at the final man, clearly the leader as a voice rung out in her head telling her, _Roman._

"Surrender Roman. You are outnumbered and outmatched." Ruby said coldly.

"Oh but I'm not outmatched." Roman replied, throwing a red dust crystal at her and exploding it in the middle of the shop.

Ruby didn't even move as she absorbed all the damage through her shield, which absorbed the dust easily and didn't damage the shop.

"I'm going after him." Ruby said as she spotted Roman going up a ladder outside.

The man didn't say anything but just nodded as he sat down behind the counter, watching Ruby run out the door. "And so it begins." He said after Ruby had left.

Ruby made it to the roof top where Roman was standing, before he jumped into a Bullhead while someone else joined her on the roof.

Frowning, Ruby ignored the Huntress as she fired at the ship but when she spotted someone else came out into the cargo area and start attacking them she smiled when she recognised the person.

Activating her shield, she saw that the Huntress attempted to pull her back from something exploding the rooftop but she shrugged it off and fired her shield up at the woman in the ship.

It was knocked back but Ruby was already in the air, catching the shield on her wrist while in a spin as she fired it at the tail of the ship.

"Run! Get us out of here!" The woman yelled to Roman as Ruby got closer to the ship until it suddenly banked away from her.

Shield coming back to her wrist she deactivated it and made a small step for her to flip back onto the roof top with where she came face to face with a Huntress.

' _Go along with her. Follow the course these events will lead to.'_ The voice told her, nodding subtly she gave herself up to the Huntress and was taken to an interrogation room while she waited for whoever she had called.

Sitting there Ruby waited patiently, she already knew the cameras in the room were turned off and she was being watched through the glass so Ruby just sat there, eyes closed while she waited.

Ten minutes passed when the door opened letting a man with a cane and grey hair came walking in with a plate of cookies while the blonde haired huntress followed close behind him.

The man, Ozpin as Ruby knew placed the cookies in front of Ruby and said, "Here you go Miss Church, I hear you like cookies." Ozpin said kindly.

Ruby didn't even need to think about the name nor what her favourite food was supposed to be and instantly started eating a couple of the cookies while looking up at the man, waiting for him to continue.

"Now, where did you learn to fight like that?" Ozpin asked calmly.

 **A/N**

 **So a day late huh? Oops, I thin Tuesdays are going to be my day, I have college and can be back at a reasonable time, plus I won't be as tired.**

 **Been a rather shitty week for me, and seems that trend is going to continue through this week and until the next, so joy.**

 **Not too much to say, I will say this. I will be glossing over things as I can't be bothered to write out episode by episode, if you haven't seen them. Go fucking watch them, I'm not going to hold your hand and walk you through each episode. I've got key events for the story and that's it, got a problem? Doors behind you.**

 **And I apologise if that's a little pissy, I've had condescending reviews, maybe not meant that way but so it is and how I've taken it. I've also had idiotic reviews; I'll update when I want to. Not if someone's begging. (Though with this story it may be different ;)**

 **And I swear I've said this, the stories already written. I've got it all finished. I'll be editing it week by week or whenever I fancy reading it for shits and giggles, but I'm not going to re-write anything in it. One bit may be edited and changed because I'm unsure on the event itself but that's much later.**

 **And my writing style, I can say it varies depending what sort of angle I'm going for. If anyone's seen my Harlequin thing, I take time to describe the weapons because those weapons are just amazing and scarily sexy. Otherwise I don't waste time in needless things, and to be honest it bores me.**

 **Sorry to rant, but seems I was too lazy to actually send a PM to explain this to someone and only just realised, oops. But no matter, been shitty for me and needed to vent a few things so I'm sorry.**

 **Not much else I want to say, at least not to you lot. I'm so happy with the support this story has gotten, got to be my quickest story to gain traction ever. Though I fear I will end up losing you around the time I reveal Blake's secret for a few reasons I won't divulge yet. But as I said before, if you've read my other stuff then you know where I am heading with the romance tag.**

 **Until next time, and if you're still here. I apologise for my rant. ^_^**


	5. Chapter 5

_"I could not stop for death; instead it kindly stopped for me."~ author unknown, given by HispanicSamuri._

 **Chapter 5-**

Three hours later she was at home, Amber and Neo worried about her when they heard about an attack at the dust store and saw the old man on the news in an interview about it.

When Ruby came through the door she was ambushed by both women who hugged her immediately before asking her in rushed words, "Where were you? What happened?"

Ruby just smiled at them, getting them to sit down on the couch as she explained how she was offered a place at Beacon and that she'd be going as the old man wanted her to go, whereas Amber and Neo would remain here without her for the moment.

"When are you going?" Neo asked in a small voice.

"Next week. I'll make sure to call you both each night and to see you at least once a week, don't worry I won't just vanish off to the school for months on end." Ruby replied.

"Good. I don't think I could handle Neo's cooking every night." Amber teased causing both Amber and Ruby to laugh while Neo just pouted at them.

Ruby went to start dinner and while she was halfway through cooking the doorbell rang, "Neo, could you get that for me please?" Ruby called out.

"Sure." Neo called out, climbing out of the chair as she put her scroll down to answer the door.

Upon opening the door, a rather large man that seemed double, even triple the size of Neo was standing in the door way with dark eyes and long black hair.

He was dressed in jeans and a black top with his fists encased in some sort of metal glove. "Hello. Is Miss Rose home?" The man asked, his voice surprisingly soft.

"Um…Ruby! There's a tall, scary guy asking for you!" Neo called out, sounding a little scared and intimidated by the large man.

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, coming out of the kitchen with a towel in her hand.

The man suddenly bowed as soon as Ruby came into view with his saying softly. "Honoured Maiden." The man said, bowing to Ruby.

"Corvus! I'm so glad you made it, and get up I told you that you don't need to do that." Ruby said, approaching the man as she got him to stand up, "And come in." Ruby said, getting the man inside even if he had to duck down.

"Neo, Amber I'd like you to meet Corvus. He's one of my friends and an agent of mine." Ruby introduced them, "Corvus this is my friend Neo, and my other friend Amber also the Fall Maiden." Ruby introduced everyone.

"Honoured Maiden. It is a pleasure to meet you." Corvus stated, bowing to Amber this time, who only stood there awkwardly.

"Um…it's a pleasure to meet you too." Amber replied awkwardly.

Once Ruby had gotten Corvus to stop she directed everyone to sit down as she explained to the large man what had been happening with Amber and what his team would be doing for her.

Though when the two other women heard her plan they didn't really like it, "We don't need protection." Amber said quickly.

"Maybe not but I'd feel better if there was someone with you. The other Maidens have a protection detail as well so you won't be the only one." Ruby said.

"I'm with Amber, we don't need bodyguards." Neo said.

"Maybe not, but it'd make me feel a lot better. So could you do this for me? Please?" Ruby asked softly.

"You won't even know we're there. I promise, my team and I have done this before for people." Corvus said, attempting to make them more open to the idea.

"Reluctantly I agree, but only so you'll feel better." Amber said reluctantly.

"Thank you. Was there anything else Corvus?" Ruby asked.

"I assume you know of the bounty on your head currently?" Corvus stated.

"I do. It's why I've changed rather dramatically, what's the price up to?" Ruby asked.

"Fifty thousand lien for any information on you, seventy-five thousand if they can capture you." Corvus said just as his scroll went off, "That's my call. I'll get the team briefed and we'll start the day you leave." Corvus said as Ruby walked him out.

As soon as she came back into the room she was faced with two different sets of eyes glaring at her as she stepped into the room.

"I didn't tell you about the bounty did I?" Ruby asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"No, you didn't." Amber said tensely.

"Right. Sorry about that, seems Qrow was rather pissed at me for stealing you. You have been a little MIA for a while, then again we couldn't risk it. Somehow your identity got out." Ruby explained.

"I need to tell him I'm fine and to drop it." Amber said.

"No. Let it play out first, the old man has something planned at the moment so I want to let it happen for the moment." Ruby explained.

"Fine. But you're still in trouble about not telling us about the bounty." Neo replied, glaring at Ruby who quickly moved to the kitchen.

A week later their annoyance had lessened when they realised Ruby had truly forgot and just didn't want them to worry about looking over their shoulders for Hunters coming after them.

They saw Ruby off onto the airship with once more a promise to keep in constant contact and once more that her scroll would always be open for them both alongside the weekly visits whenever she could.

Ruby stood at the back of the airship, watching the different people on the ship. Finding it entertaining at how easily she worked out a number of people on the ship.

Going through the courtyard she couldn't help but remember when the school was first set up by her friends and before the whole Maiden business got in the way. There was even a statue of the two of them which Ruby made a point to stop and look at.

Having spent years with keeping emotions in check she allowed a single tear to slid down her face when she saw them both immortalised in stone.

Wiping the tear away Ruby quickly moved away before someone saw her reaction to the statue of the two founders and questioned her about it.

Ruby watched as the blond boy who vomited on the trip over ran into Weiss Schnee, she smiled when she saw the interaction and it was clear the Schnee's hadn't told their youngest quite yet either, nor taught her anything.

Leaving the courtyard Ruby planned on going to meet someone she hadn't seen for a while. Heading to the second year dorm rooms she went to the familiar door and knocked on it, waiting patiently as a rabbit Faunus opened the door.

"Ruby!" Velvet shouted excitedly as she hugged the taller woman.

"Hello Velvet, and its Claire at the moment." Ruby replied, smiling at the woman. It always made her happy at how easy her friends knew who she was, even with the purple hair and eyes though for the Maidens it was easy because they felt the same pull of power.

"May I come in?" Ruby asked, as she stood there being hugged by the woman who moved back with a blush on her face.

"Sorry. You remember my team don't you?" Velvet asked, bringing the woman inside.

"I do. It's nice to see you all again, how is school going?" Ruby asked, while Velvet directed her to sit down with her team while she sorted out drinks.

"It's going well, thank you. If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" Coco informed her while asking a question at the same time.

Ruby waited for Velvet to return so she could tell them all at once but first asked Velvet, "Thank you for the tea, do they know?" Ruby asked, taking the warm mug into her hand.

"They do. Not everything about you but they know who we are." Velvet answered, sitting rather close next to Coco.

"I see. Well I'm sure you saw what happened at that dust shop, correct?" Ruby asked.

"I did, that was him wasn't it?" Velvet asked, knowing she recognised the shopkeeper.

"It was. I was there and well stopped the robbery but the man behind it got away, Glynda was there so I met Ozpin and ended up being invited to join." Ruby explained briefly.

"Is there anything we should be worried about?" Coco asked, concerned.

"No, not currently anyway but I know he wanted me here for a reason. Guess we'll discover that soon." Ruby answered, "How is your protection?" Ruby asked.

"She's one of our teachers and trusts my team to help protect me. But she checks in regularly to make sure everything is good." Velvet said.

"Right." Ruby said, writing down something quickly before handing it to Velvet, "This is my scroll number. I'll answer no matter what so don't hesitate to call if you're in trouble or just want to talk." Ruby said.

The group spent a little longer talking before Ruby decided it was time to leave and go to the hall where everyone would be sleeping, though she didn't really sleep that night and was the first one to the launch platforms the next day.

Ruby didn't speak as she calmly waited for the launch, knowing that it would start soon and she needed to keep the act up as best she could.

So falling into the attitude of her being cold when fighting was easy. She didn't even realise that she was in the air until she opened her eyes as she heard a scream next to her.

Activating her shield, Ruby held it in front of her allowing the dust field to envelope her as she hit the ground, the shield protecting her.

Hearing a growl next to where she landed only made Ruby smile, 'Finally something to kill' Was all she thought to herself as she drew her sword.

Shooting forward her sword cut through the creature like paper and as another one was attempting to sprint towards her, Ruby fire her shield at the creature splitting it in half as the shield returned to her.

Moving on she found very few creatures willing to attack her, all of them backing away from her, at least until she found her partner.

She hadn't planned on becoming partners with Weiss Schnee, nor watching the girl have issues with Beowolves as she was so focused on her posture that positioning that she didn't notice one of the creatures about to hit her from behind.

Ruby put the evil creature down with a single bullet to the head and once the creatures were all defeated once Weiss started to fight, Ruby spoke her opinion.

"You are more focused on your positioning and what you learnt in a training environment than a combat situation. Allow your instincts to control your moves, stay aware of your surroundings. You need to keep constant awareness of where all of your enemies are in case one sneaks behind you, someone won't always be there to help you." Ruby said, her voice was rather cold but more like a teacher teaching a student something.

Ruby didn't give Weiss a chance to respond as she started walking away towards the location of the ruins.

Twenty long, silent minutes later the pair arrived at the ruins. They didn't face anymore Grimm but heard a Nevermore in the air above them but seemed too afraid to attack them.

Not long after Weiss picked up a chess piece did six other people arrive. They formed natural teams as the Death stalker came alongside the Nevermore who decided to attack now.

Seeing the two creatures Ruby made a quick decision as she got everyone heading towards the other old ruins and the bridge.

As she guessed a fight ensured with her partner and two other women joining them in fighting the nevermore while the two men and two women fought the death stalker.

Reaching the top of the tower Ruby watched as a black haired woman she knew as Blake land on the Nevermore's back and sliced at it while doing no real damage to the creature and when she saw the blonde woman, Yang land in the creature's mouth and blast at it, again not doing a lot but making it fall down she sighed.

Ruby just sprinted down along the bridge, shield active and sword down at her side. The nevermore was just getting back into the air going higher then what a huntress could normally jump.

Jumping into the air Ruby generated a cloud which she made look like a glyph for her to look like she was bouncing off of said item and this gave her the boost she needed to get onto the back of the Nevermore, as Blake had done earlier.

But unlike Blake, Ruby struck her blade directly into the back of the Nevermore's skull, breaking through the soft tissue easily as she unloaded all the bullets into the back while she fired her shield which was powered with red dust, at the flying creature's wings.

Upon making contact it set the wing on fire causing the cry but it didn't last long as Ruby removed her blade from the skull and sliced down at the back of the neck.

The kill had been made and she landed gracefully on the ground in front of the other students and they all looked at her in shock with how easily she had taken the Nevermore down.

"Blake, your idea to get on the Nevermore's back was good but you didn't take full advantage of it. Your blade is strong enough to pierce the rear of the skull, it is all soft tissue there and your pistol would be able to damage the wings if you hit the correct spots." Ruby informed the woman before turning to Yang.

"Blasting straight down the throat was good however dangerous and a large risk. If it was a fully grown Nevermore it could have easily broken you in its beak, and your blasts need more power to them as the effect wasn't permanent. With more power you could have killed the creature by destroying the insides." Ruby stated, sounding coldly but speaking of experience.

Once more as she did with Weiss, Ruby didn't give them a chance to respond to her critics and started walking towards the end of the bridge where a Bullhead started to arrive.

 **A/N**

 **Another chapter down, more to come. Got some editing and changing for either the next chapter or the one after, not sure how it'll be broken up yet.**

 **Oh and just going through my reviews for quotes, saw a guest with the name** _ **FriesBeforeGuys**_ **and that's just a fucking amazing name, I love that.**

 **Oh and thank you to the other guest that said you read every story I post, thank you very much. May I ask, have you considered signing up for an account?**

 **Not much else to say, at least not that I can think of. Once more, I wish to remind people that this story is all written out.**

 **Until next time.**


	6. Chapter 6

_Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. -Albert Einstein_

 **Chapter 6-**

The first weekend after initiation Ruby made good on her promise and returned home that weekend. Leaving her team behind at the school, much to the annoyance of her partner who said that Ruby needed to study for her classes.

But she ignored the woman and left early the next morning to return home. She had spoken to the old man on the way to her house, annoyed at what she was tasked to do but she knew she needed to do it, so instead she returned home.

Entering through the door to her house she was ambushed by her two house mates and quickly pulled into a tight hug.

"We missed you so much." Neo cried out.

"I missed your cooking. Neo sucks at it." Amber said.

Ruby just laughed in response as she replied, "Come on, let's get inside and I'll make a start on dinner." Ruby said, pushing the pair into the room.

Ruby went about getting things prepared for dinner while the two women sat on top of the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"So what was the first week like? Anything interesting happen? How was initiation?" Neo asked in quick fire questions.

Ruby giggled at the reaction as she replied, "Slow down a little there and come here." Ruby said. Gesturing for Neo to join her.

"I'm going to teach you how to cook. Amber doesn't have a hope in hell, but you might." Ruby said, ignoring the exclamation from Amber about the jab.

"The first week was alright, I caught up with someone I know there on the first day and the next day was initiation. To be honest it was rather boring, killed a pack of Beowolves and a Nevermore, I think my team needs some understanding of the Grimm creatures a little more as they didn't know obvious weaknesses." Ruby commented on lightly, as she started putting a pot onto the stove, getting Neo to cut up some onions.

"What sort of weaknesses? For the Grimm and their own?" Amber asked, watching with interest.

"A Nevermore's skull has a soft point at the back, a blade can easily penetrate it alongside medium sized calibre bullets, combine that strike with an attack to the wings you can easily kill a Nevermore. Beowolves are rather easy to kill, and a Death stalker. The trick is to strike at either the soft underbelly or the eyes though this group buried its own tail into its head." Ruby said.

"What about your team then? Tell us about them?" Amber asked, as excited as Neo.

"My partner is Weiss Schnee, but she doesn't know about me yet. She seemed to not have as much real world experience fighting Grimm, she understands the theory of things but not about how to react in situations or understand you don't always have time to get into the perfect starting position. But she's alright, hardworking even if it's a little annoying." Ruby answered.

"What do you mean know about you?" Neo asked.

"Corvus, alongside a number of other families including the Schnee's know the truth behind me. Being a Maiden and being immortal. It was the old man's idea, families that we have great trust in and have strong morals that they pass down. We created a network of agents." Ruby began to explain.

"They're people who know the truth, about everything and someone we can just trust if we need help. They're on constant call and some of them almost worship the Maiden's as you saw with Corvus. The Schnee's are just one such family but their youngest hasn't been told it seems." Ruby answered.

"So you have people at your beck and call? Like who? Just Hunters?" Amber asked.

"No, some are doctors, soldiers. Politicians. Even the head of Shade academy. If you can think of a profession, then it is likely we have someone with that knowledge." Ruby said.

"So where are they all?" Neo followed up.

"Everywhere, leading ordinary lives just waiting for the call. Most times they don't receive it but other times they do. It changes throughout each life." Ruby answered.

"I see. What about the rest of your team?" Neo asked, changing the topic.

"There's Blake, a cat Faunus and actually an ex-member of the White Fang but I'm not sure as to why she left yet, I know about a train incident but I think there's more to it. But she's not willing to open up just yet so I'm not pushing her." Ruby replied.

"Lastly is Yang, a blonde brawler type. Very strong and fiery personality though I know her mother, which is a little strange." Ruby said, taking the cut up onions away from Neo and putting them into the pan and showing Neo how to do the next part of the meal.

"So how have you been?" Ruby asked, moving the topic away from her.

"Oh we've been good, training a little and going out here and there a bit. Though not much has actually happened. Like every week." Amber said, sounding a little annoyed.

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise we'll get out and do more when I get a break. Which is coming up soon." Ruby replied.

"Fine, but it better be something good. I'm itching to actually do something." Amber said, with Neo agreeing with her.

"Anyway how about we sit down and relax a little? I've got another day here as well so we'll go out tomorrow." Ruby said, directing the pair into the living room.

* * *

 **Two weeks later**

After the initiation Ruby was named team leader and she had pushed her team hard, giving critics and encouragement in equal measure but made sure that they were learning.

She had discovered that Blake was a cat Faunus after their first meeting, however for whatever reason she kept it hidden, maybe it was because of the Schnee on their team but it still confused her nonetheless.

Her team knew her as Claire which made for an interesting team name as it was CWBY but she wasn't bothered by it.

As promised she had kept in touch with both Neo and Amber, finding that they were doing find without her there but missed her cooking so whenever Ruby dropped in to see them over the weekends and cooked for them.

Today she had just arrived back from visiting the pair, which she always enjoyed but now she was standing in front of the statues again. Just looking at the two of founders.

She remembered how the pair hated the idea of getting statues made up of them, trying to convince Ruby to have one made of her, which she was against.

Instead they all agreed that the pair would be immortalised in stone while Ruby would firstly live on but also her contribution to the statue would be the cloak that covered the pair.

She remembered when the three of them fought, nothing could stop them when they fought. Grimm fell to their blades easily.

She became so lost in her memories of her first ever friends that she didn't notice someone appear next to her. Not until he spoke.

"Not many people know that this statue is of the three founders." Ozpin said, standing next to Ruby with his infamous coffee mug in his hand.

"Pardon?" Ruby said, coming out of her memory quickly and her hand subtly moved towards her weapon but stopped short when she realised who it was, though Ozpin noticed this reaction.

"I said that not many people know that this statue is of the three founders." Ozpin repeated.

"How do you know that I know that?" Ruby asked carefully.

"The way you were looking at the statues. The cloak covering the pair. Not many know that these are the founders, even fewer know about the cloak. The way you look at it means you know just what it is." Ozpin answered.

"How do you know that?" Ruby asked.

"I'm the headmaster. I know these things from this position. But why don't you answer for me?" Ozpin asked, a smile in his voice.

Ruby paused for a moment, deciding what she wanted to say exactly and just decided the truth, at least to a point. "The cloak represents how that person covers the two founders. Perhaps they didn't want to be immortalised or perhaps there is a more symbolic reason for it only being a cloak." Ruby replied.

"People believe it is because that person covers the two founders, as if protecting them but some people believe something entirely different. They believe the third founder isn't in stone because they are still alive today and don't want their face known to people. But that the cloak represents how that person will guard the founders and the schools." Ozpin said.

Ruby just laughed in response, she knew it to be true but she didn't need him to know that. "I think someone has put something into your coffee professor." Ruby replied, smiling at the older man.

"There are a lot weirder things in this world Miss Church. I have seen a lot in this world that would make an ordinary human question life. But I think you already know this." Ozpin said, turning away from her as he began to walk away though he said over his shoulder.

"And Miss Church, it's hot chocolate. I rather enjoy the taste. But don't tell anyone that." Ozpin said, smiling at the woman as he walked away.

Ruby smiled lightly, unable to help it even if she wasn't very fond of the man himself but she went through the halls to her history lesson, which she found extremely boring so used it for something else.

Taking her seat next to her partner, she immediately took out her book and set it up so she could use her scroll behind it, much to her partner's annoyance.

Halfway during the lesson, their teacher a Professor or rather Dr Oobleck was telling them about the Faunus Rights Revolution to the class, asking about anyone being discriminated against and such.

He chose this moment to see Ruby, not paying attention but manipulating something behind her book so as any teacher would, decided to catch her out. "Miss Church, seeing as how you are so interested in your book. Why don't you tell the class about the turning point of the Faunus War?" Dr Oobleck asked.

Ruby looked up from her scroll, having heard the question but barely hid her frown at being called on, though Weiss next to her was smirking at Ruby. Thinking that she would finally have sense knocked into Ruby to stop her from slacking off.

"The battle of Fort Castle happened in the third year of the war, and most people believe it to the be the turning point where an inexperience human general attempted to attack the Faunus at night time, but of course the Faunus have natural and near perfect night vision. However, this wasn't the real turning point." Ruby said, starting off as she carried on, lost in her memories.

"Rather I believe the turning point to be a much later battle, one of the Faunus leaders, Ashleigh Belladonna, a veteran of the Great War a number of years before. She fought using the help of a human woman and other humans and Faunus who had mixed together to fight on the side of the Faunus. In the middle of the second year they attacked General Lagune's secondary forces, under the leadership of a human named Commander Violet." Ruby explained, the whole classes attention fixed on her, but she didn't notice as she was further away.

Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, lost in the sounds of fighting, blade meeting blade, bullets bouncing off shields and the screams of pain from the injured or dying.

Humans screaming out orders and commands as they soon fell to the blade of those fighting against them, struggling to maintain any discipline in the face of the stronger enemy, especially with Ruby at the head of the attack.

 _Cordite filled the air, gunshots echoing around the area and flying past her head as they attempted to kill her and others around her._

 _Her shield was crackling with energy, sword in her other hand humming in her hand. Blocking bullets aimed at her head, Ruby charged forward, her sword cutting a human in half before she moved and drove her blade into the chest of another._

 _Firing the pistol side, it knocked the human off her blade and she continued fighting as she heard someone shouting._

" _Move up! Secure the castle!" Ashleigh Belladonna was screaming at her soldiers, Faunus and humans mixed together, wearing white armbands to reveal just who they are._

 _Ruby's shield quickly shot out of its launcher, cutting straight in front of Ashleigh, blocking a bullet meant for her. Pulling her pistol, she shot the man that attempted to kill the feline leader._

 _A quick nod passed between the two as Ruby's shield came back into her wrist and she turned back to the human soldiers._

 _Ruby was silent, allowing the sound of fighting wash over her, the screams of pain. The cracking of gunshots and the smell of blood and cordite filling her nostrils._

 _Enhanced by her semblance, Ruby charged forward. Her sword glistered in the noon sun with blood, no one was able to stop her as she moved so fast that she was a blur. Soldiers just fell to the ground dead, the sound of metal meeting flesh and bone, the crack of her pistol firing was mere afterthoughts as she had already killed five other people by the time the sound caught up with the actions._

" _CHARGE!" Ashleigh yelled, seeing Ruby decimating the enemy lines she knew the momentum was on their side._

 _The enemy soldiers having doubts at killing other humans, giving them an advantage that would be stupid not to capitalize on._

 _Ruby's face was emotionless as she killed, her blade, shield and guns working almost on autopilot. But inside, Ruby found glee in her actions. It had been years since she had been able to fight, truly fight as she had done before._

 _When she was with her friends, the Shadows. With the restrictions of not using her powers, at least not yet. It meant that she had to fight, really fight as she did of old. And she loved it, she loved every moment of it._

 _They quickly got up to the walls of the large fort, stupidly named Fort Castle. As they came close to the line the fighting seemed to slow down, and they could see the Commander, Commander Violet standing up on the way, soldiers with guns lining it._

 _Ruby ignored her speech on surrendering. Catching Ashleigh's eyes, a subtle look and nod was all the confirmation she needed._

 _Pistols in their holsters and sword retracted at her side, arms outstretched it seemed the Commander realised something was happening and told her soldiers to open fire and direct it at her._

 _But the bullets harmlessly hit her Aura shield, and other shield. The wind started to increase, growing stronger with each passing second. Clouds formed high in the sky and thunder crashed alongside lightning flashing in the air._

 _Everyone had fallen silent, scared and watching Ruby. The elements rushing around her body as she was slowly lifted into the air._

Coming back to the class, Ruby realised she had been silent for almost a minute, seeing all the class staring at her and her closed eyes. She was quick to finish her answer, not wanting to get caught up even more and become lost in the memories again.

"They attacked in the middle of the day, when most people were eating and didn't think an attack would happen due to heat. They descended on the secondary force quickly. It was the first time humans were seen working with the Faunus. This I believe Doctor Oobleck to be the turning point in the fighting. The fact that people saw humans working with the Faunus to achieve the shared rights. The battle of Fort Castle was only the nail in the coffin." Ruby said, stunning everyone as she spoke so confidently and it seemed none of them had heard about that battle before.

"Um…yes. Yes, Miss Church, I suppose that is right. While what she said was correct it is largely a matter of opinion. Could someone else tell me about the Battle of Fort Castle? Yes, Miss Scarlatina." Oobleck said, moving on from Ruby but had made a note about what Ruby or rather Claire had just said.

Ruby allowed herself to smile for a moment as she carried on typing away at her scroll, messaging a number of people but also just keeping up to date with general news around the world.

At the end of class Ruby made haste getting out of the room but it didn't stop when she entered her dorm room as her teammates had kept up with her.

"What the hell was that? I've never heard of anything like that. How did you even know that?" Weiss almost shouted as they entered their dorm.

"Know what? About humans working with the Faunus? Or just the fact that I know something you didn't?" Ruby asked, rounding on Weiss now that they were in private.

"I've never heard of that battle before, it looked like Oobleck was surprised as well." Yang said, trying to defuse the situation a little.

"It's not very well known. Only those that were there, or with family that was there would know about it." Ruby said, looking towards Blake who just turned away and turned the TV on, which was on the news.

"Latest reports indicate that the White Fang have attacked another dust shop has been attacked in downtown within the last hour by members of the White Fang…" The report carried on but the others weren't listening as they turned their attention to Weiss and what she just said.

"The White Fang, awful bunch of degenerates!" Weiss exclaimed rather loudly.

"What is your problem?" Blake replied.

"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane." Weiss replied.

"The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus." Blake answered back.

"Misguided? They want to wipe humanity off the face of the planet!" Weiss threw back.

"So then they're very misguided." Blake replied but Ruby spoke up before she could carry on.

"They keep robbing dust shops; it doesn't make any sense. I wonder if Roman is working with them." Ruby said absent minded.

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat and steal." Weiss said, not noticing how angry Blake was getting.

"You ignorant little brat." Blake growled in response.

"How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!" Weiss exclaimed loudly.

"You are a judgmental little girl." Blake replied, sounding even more angry.

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!" Weiss seemed to shout.

"Maybe we should go." Yang suggested to Ruby, but she just ignored her as her attention remained on these two women.

"That is the problem!" Blake shot back.

"You realise you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!" Weiss said back, staying close to Blake.

"There is no such thing as pure evil. The Faunus hate Humanity because of people like Cardin, people like your father and grandfather and it seems like you, which makes the White Fang believe that drastic violence is the only course of action, it is not but that doesn't matter to them now." Ruby stated coldly, speaking up.

"People like me?" Weiss exclaimed in surprise.

"You're discriminatory." Blake said.

"I'm a victim!" Weiss shouted, "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus? It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood." Weiss said angrily and as Yang moved forward to comfort her.

"No!" Weiss said, stopping Yang. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!" Weiss shouted.

"Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake shouted back, and then as a sudden realisation as to what she said, she turned and ran.

 **A/N**

 **So this is two days early for ironically two reasons, one is because I have a question to as. And secondly because the Division is released on Tuesday and I will be playing that from the point I get home so I'll likely forget to post the chapter.**

 **I know I've skipped nigh on half the first series, but let's agree that there isn't too much to talk about there. Plus, I've sort of accelerated the timeline a little because of Claire and the stunt in the class. Also we can avoid the whole thing about Ruby's leadership because, well she's a much better leader.**

 **I'll be addressing the silver eye thing in the sequel, not sure if I've mentioned that or not but that's my plan.**

 **Now the fun part, the question. It's copied and pasted because I've got three other things going up with it.**

 **Oh and I want to ask. Do people want to see a Mass Effect crossover story with RWBY? Namely replacing a couple characters with RWBY characters, like Ruby, Neo, Ironwood, Ozpin and maybe a couple others. Not entirely sure yet. It would include the characters from ME as well, sort of. It'll be a lot of work but if it's something people want to see, then I wouldn't mind giving it a shot. Then the question would be where should I start? ME1? ME2? Or drop right in there with ME3?**

 **That's it, so please read and review. And until next time.**


	7. Chapter 7

" _Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?"_

― _Mary Manin Morrissey_

 **Chapter 7-**

Ruby watched as Blake ran away, scroll already in hand as she sent a message to Amber and Neo, telling them that something's come up and if she could meet them by a café they enjoyed tomorrow.

"You. Sit." Ruby said coldly, turning to face Weiss, who obeyed instantly.

"Shouldn't we…?" Yang said.

"No, don't worry about that. First we deal with this problem." Ruby said, turning away from Yang to stare at Weiss.

"You do not seem to understand something very important here, and after we finish talking I highly suggest you speak to your mother or sister about what I'm about to say." Ruby started to say.

"Your family is old, your company is much older than just your Grandfather, he was simply the one to capitalise Dust for money in your family. Before him there was a great many Schnee's who mined Dust, allowing Hunters and Huntresses to use what they mined for free in return for defending the four kingdoms." Ruby informed her.

"They worked in harmony with people, the military and private users of Dust would have to pay, which was then used to pay the workers. Faunus and human alike, they had full pay, housing and enough holiday time that most people questioned if she was sane." Ruby began to say.

"You're lying…" Weiss said but Ruby broke her off.

"Shut up!" Ruby said harshly, "When your grandfather took control of the company he changed how it worked. No one really remembers anymore, but I do. He got rid of the human workers, promoting them to office jobs or just getting rid of them completely. He enslaved the Faunus, whenever they tried to leave he would have them shot or whipped." Ruby explained and Weiss actually looked sick.

"Your family was already wealthy and lived comfortably, but the fortunes you have are made off the blood of Faunus. I'm sure you can understand why Blake, and the White Fang as a whole are angry and believe violence is the only way." Ruby said, turning away from the woman and towards the door but paused as she opened it.

"The train robbery, only Dust was stolen. The carriage with living people inside was detached by a blade, a katana to be exact. The train was going to be destroyed, the actions of a White Fang defector saved all those people. Someone who wields a katana." Ruby said, walking out of the room as she ignored Yang's repeated calls of 'Claire.'

Ruby did as she did every Friday night, left to head home to her two girls instead of staying with her team.

As soon as she arrived home Amber and Neo practically jumped her, hugging her tightly as they saw how tired she was, walking through. Surprised to see her after she said about meeting them tomorrow, but Ruby just needed to get out of the room.

"Let's get you to bed, shall we? Tiring day?" Amber asked softly.

Ruby could only nod in response, wanting nothing more than to collapse into bed.

Neo and Amber didn't say anything else, nor did Ruby as she let the two women remove her clothes and put her into more comfortable sleeping attire.

As soon as Ruby's head hit the bed she was asleep, not noticing the two women curling up next to her, nor did she really care. All she felt was comfort as she felt the tattoo on her back stop moving, an odd warmth filling Ruby up in her sleep.

The next morning Ruby was the first one awake, and carefully untangled herself from the limps of her two friends, making sure to not wake them up.

Leaving the room, she went to make a start on breakfast, cooking the rather large mix of foods from meat to simple toast.

"I don't think I've ever seen you that tired, even now." Neo said from the doorway, pointing out the cup of coffee Ruby had next to her.

"Stressful day." Ruby replied, not looking towards Neo but immediately felt Neo wrap her arms around Ruby.

"Why don't you tell me?" Neo said softly, rubbing Ruby's stomach softly in comfort.

"A teacher asked me about the Faunus wars, I sort of showed him up and maybe revealed myself. I spoke about a battle that pretty much no one knows about anymore, he was rather shocked and so were my teammates." Ruby said.

"That isn't all of it though? Showing up a teacher must be fun." Neo said.

"It was, but I got lost in my memories. I was there at the battle; I remember fighting in it. Using my powers and my blade together as one. Killing humans who tried to kill me, or my friends, or other Faunus." Ruby said.

"It was a long time ago, it's already happened and in the past. They can't hurt you anymore." Neo said comfortingly.

"That's not what I'm talking about. It's the fact that I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the full out fighting against an opponent that had at least some ability and someone who could feel fear. I found joy in the battle, and I missed that joy yesterday. That's what scared me." Ruby replied, her hands had stopped moving and just rested against the counter.

"Do you still feel that joy today? Do you enjoy killing people?" Neo asked softly, not scared in the slightest.

"No. No, instead I just feel sad. Sorry for them and angry at them for wasting their life in such a pointless way." Ruby said, her voice was level but held traces of annoyance.

"Then you shouldn't worry, you no longer feel pleasure in killing. But it can't just be this? I have a feeling there's more." Neo said.

Ruby turned in Neo's arms to face the woman, looking down into her eyes as she didn't care about the heat on her back.

"My teammate…friend. Blake, she ran away. Weiss was sprouting stuff about Faunus and how the White Fang are evil and she just…she just exploded. Revealed that she used to be the White Fang and she ran. She ran away, I feel like I could have prevented this. I have all this power, this knowledge and I couldn't see the most obvious thing in front of me and prevented this." Ruby almost cried out, but fought for tight controls on her emotions.

"You can't predict everything, no one can. Unless you can see into the future, which would be pretty cool. Can you?" Neo asked cheerfully.

Ruby shook her head, fighting a smile but couldn't help it as it formed on her face.

"Well that sucks, but anyway. You can't guess what's going to happen. You couldn't help that Weiss was a blind bitch, or that Blake would defend the White Fang so much. Or the fact they are both too stubborn to admit defeat. You can't blame yourself for this, but you certainly can make amends." Neo replied, giving her an answer.

"Thank you." Ruby replied, and without conscious thought dipped her head and kissed Neo lightly on the lips in thanks.

Both stood there stunned, lips meeting in a soft kiss. Both of them felt something spark between their lips, but not unpleasant enough for them to break the kiss.

Then without warning both women at the same time deepened the kiss further, Neo's tongue darting forward to meet Ruby's tongue and the pair started to fight for dominance.

Neo won, and she eagerly started to explore Ruby's mouth. Body's moving in sync with each other as Ruby took a step forward, Neo jumped into her arms and quickly found herself sitting on the island in the kitchen as the kiss deepened further by Neo's tongue exploring Ruby's mouth.

"About damn time." Amber barked out from the doorway, smirking towards the panting women.

The pair had broken apart as they heard the first word from Amber, stunned as they turned their attention to the smirking woman, breathless.

"I take it that's our breakfast burning." Amber commented, causing Ruby to break out of the embrace and immediately go over to the food and seeing that it couldn't be saved.

Sighing, "I guess we better just shower and we'll go out to that café a little earlier than usual. My treat as always." Ruby sighed out, closing her eyes as she recovered.

Neo remained sitting on the island, unsure what to make of what happened. She knew she was close to Ruby, she even had a crush. Who wouldn't? It was hard not to, but she never thought Ruby would return her feelings and not so eagerly either.

Ruby left the room seconds later, telling them she was going to shower as she left Amber and Neo alone in the kitchen.

"So, want to talk about it?" Amber asked, a soft smile playing on her face.

"Sure…um I don't really know what to say." Neo replied.

"Well how about we start with why you two were about to have sex on the counter." Amber teased, moving to sit next to Neo on the island.

Blushing, Neo started to stutter out a reply only for Amber to raise her hand up, "I'm only teasing you. But I'm pretty sure if I hadn't, then I'd walk in on a much different picture. Or be woken up when you go to the bed." Amber said, winking at Neo.

"We were talking. She told me what happened yesterday, her worries and then I gave her some advice on what to do or rather tried to help her. Next thing I know we're both leaning in and kissing each other. It was amazing, it was like there was electricity between us, next thing I know we're using our tongues and then I'm on the island." Neo said.

"Hmm, I'll have to ask the old man something about that. Rather interesting, but it's pretty clear the attraction is all there." Amber said with a smile, "Maybe you should talk to Ruby about this later. See what she thinks." Amber suggested.

"That'll be a little hard, she's immortal. I'm not. It just would end badly." Neo said, sad.

"Just speak to her, you never know." Amber replied, "I'm going to shower, you should as well." Amber said and the trio of girls were all showering separately and within an hour they were dressed and ready to go out.

Amber had her normal clothes with armoured pieces on them, whereas Ruby chose her outfit minus the cloak and used her leather jacket with her weapons at her hip and back. And lastly Neo wore her normal outfit, parasol happily sitting over her shoulder, open.

The trio walked down the streets speaking amongst themselves, catching up on the week's activity for the three involved, Ruby had told Amber about what happened the day before and she got more reassurance from Amber about things.

Sitting in down in the café on the small balcony area, watching the city prepare for the festival whereas Ruby's attention was focused on the doorway leading into the café and outside.

"So why are we sitting somewhere with two extra chairs? And ordering two extra drinks?" Amber asked, looking curiously at Ruby.

"Give it a minute. Oh and remember, my treat." Ruby replied, smiling at the pair as she waited patiently.

Both women just smiled, it was always Ruby's treat but she just liked to say that to them so they knew they could get whatever they wanted to get as they used to have reservations about getting expensive things.

So they all ordered rather full breakfasts with tea for Amber and coffee for Neo and Ruby. And Ruby ordered two more cups of coffee and some toast for two people.

"All the extra food, extra person to feed there Claire?" Amber teased.

Ruby froze for but a fraction of a second as she heard the comment but knew it was a joke so quickly went back to normal. "Nope. As I said, you'll see." Ruby smiled at them, avoiding Neo's rather watchful eyes as she was pretty sure she had been caught out but she had the right idea to not mention it in public.

A few minutes later, just after their drinks arrived the two saw what it was that Ruby meant. Blake Belladonna walked into the café with a blonde, monkey Faunus following behind her.

Ruby smiled at the pair, and saw how Blake froze upon seeing her but she only just gestured to the two open seats next to her.

"Claire." Blake said, stopping just before the table. "What are you doing here?" Blake asked calmly.

"Oh I'm here getting breakfast with my friends, I sort of burnt our food this morning so I'm treating them to breakfast." Ruby said, which only caused Neo to blush and Amber to snort.

"Yeah, too busy snogging someone then cooking." Amber said, causing Blake and Sun to look confused for a moment.

"Ignore her." Ruby said, waving Amber's comment off as she said, "Anyway. These are my friends, Amber and Neo." Ruby said, pointing to the two other women with her. Neo to her left and Amber just across from her.

"It's nice to meet you Blake, I've heard a lot about you." Neo said kindly, offering her hand to Blake.

"Oh well it's nice to meet you to, um Claire hasn't said anything about either of you." Blake replied, slowly taking a seat with Sun next to her.

"Well that's annoying. My name's Amber, a pleasure." Amber said, smiling towards the pair as she shook their hands.

"Neo, nice to put a name to the face." Neo said as she shook their hands.

"Order whatever you want, it's on me." Ruby said, smiling at them.

"Great. Thank you." Sun said excitedly.

"What are you really doing here Claire? This can't just be a coincidence." Blake stated suspiciously.

"Order some food then we'll talk." Ruby replied, getting up from her chair, whispering to the two girls to say that she'll only be a moment.

Blake followed shortly after and Ruby brought them away from everyone to a small balcony and she rested against it.

"I've known you were a cat Faunus since we met. I didn't say anything, wasn't my secret to tell. So it didn't surprise me how it came out." Ruby answered, looking out at the city.

"How did you know? I kept it hidden." Blake asked, shocked at hearing how easy Claire it was.

"You look a lot like your mother." Ruby said softly, almost sad at saying that. "But your bow moves rather often. Alongside the fact I've been around a lot of Faunus, it was rather easy to work it all out." Ruby answered.

"Wait. You knew my mother? How?" Blake asked, she barely remembered her mother so she didn't understand how Ruby would know her.

"That's a story for another time, its rather a big story." Ruby replied, avoiding the topic.

"So how did you know I was going to be here? And what about my previous White Fang ties? I used to be with them." Blake asked.

"How I knew, I put a tracker on you and from where you are staying this is the closest place and not many people know about it. So that's rather easy. And your previous life as a member of the White Fang? I don't care." Ruby answered.

"Why? Why don't you care? I hurt people, fought for the bad guys." Blake said, almost pleading with Ruby to tell her she was bad.

"Simple. I could walk out of this place right now and before the day ends I could have been twenty different people and just vanish. I could be a soldier in the Atlas military one minute or a doctor from Patch in the next. I've lived a great many lives, and still will. But it doesn't matter, you left them. Left that life behind, it'll always be a part of you but now you want to do something more. And I have a very compelling piece of evidence." Ruby stated. Smiling at the shocked woman.

"What is that?" Blake asked carefully.

"The train incident. You left the White Fang and saved a few hundred people in the process. That makes you good in my books, and now you're training to become a Huntress. You're not running, but instead giving back. You've changed and proving that. If others can't see it, well fuck them. You do you." Ruby said, a wide smile on her face as she turned around. "Our food should be ready, come on." Ruby said, walking back into the café.

"Wait! Are you really Claire? You said how you could change who you are, so are you really Claire Church?" Blake asked, worried with what Claire had said and now curious about Claire.

"Of course I'm Claire. Come on." Ruby said, joining the others again.

They spoke of light topics during the meal, Blake found it odd how easy it was to talk to everyone. No one said anything about her ears, or about her past. She had no doubt they all knew about it.

When the meal was over and Claire had paid, Blake asked the important question. "Are you going to tell the others?" Blake said. Worried and not ready to face them yet.

"Nope. I left them with some information, about the train robbery and what the Schnee Dust cooperation used to be like. Though may I make one request?" Ruby asked.

"What's that?" Blake replied.

"If you plan on chasing after a Dust shipment to prove the White Fang are innocent, please let me know ahead of time so I can back you up." Ruby requested.

"I…if I do, I'll let you know." Blake replied.

"Thank you." Ruby said, smiling at the woman as she left with Sun.

"So what do you think?" Amber asked.

"It'll clear up and your team will be closer. On that note, are you any closer to telling them?" Neo answered, directing her last bit to Ruby.

"No. I don't plan on telling them, he put me on this course and I want to know why." Ruby stated. "Come on, let's go home and relax a little. I hear you got a new movie for us to watch." Ruby said, looking at Amber.

"I did. You'll love it, it's about a university where this girl is being forced to go to by her father…." Amber started to explain as they started to walk back to their home.

 **A/N**

 **Apologises for being a little late, was going to post it last night then I felt so tired I crawled into bed and forgot, so once more apologises.**

 **Start off, I'm being incredibly tempted to turn off guest reviews because there's three types I seem to get, one where all they do is post** _ **more.**_ **Which is rude and fucking annoying, I get others that think that they know stuff and make a statement that I'm incorrect, when I'm not, but I have no way to reply back to them to explain why they're wrong. Sort of the same goes with those that ask questions, it's a little annoying as I can't really respond to you and a week later I'll end up forgetting. Then I get those that are supportive but seem to be in the minority on here, for the moment I'll keep them on but depending what happens I might just turn them off.**

 **Now what led me to all that was a review I got last week,** _ **Actually the revolution was before the Great War.**_ **Got that on march 6** **th** **by a guest. Now I don't normally care, but it implied that firstly, I didn't look into stuff. Which I did, because I needed some information from that scene in volume one, but also the fact it is an AU, timeline is whatever the fuck I want to put it bluntly.**

 **But also it wouldn't make sense, the great war was about identity and having the freedom of expression in the RWBY universe, so it wouldn't make sense for the Faunus to fight for their freedom before everyone else did. It wouldn't make sense, if they've stated it's that way round. Well I don't agree with it so I'll have it my way round.**

 **I know, shouldn't have annoyed me but it's the fact that someone just stated that and hid behind a guest review where I can't rightly reply to them privately, so instead. I'm doing it here.**

 **Sorry for everyone else, revealed a number of things in this chapter and did quite a few things. The next big history thing will be later on, namely when they go to Mount Glenn and one other one which I can't remember correctly right now.**

 **Anyway, until next week or if I get amazingly happy during the week and post again.**

 **Until next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

_Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon. -Horatio Nelson_

 **Chapter 8-**

 **One Day later.**

' _Dust shipment due in at the docks tonight. Going with Sun to observe.'_

Ruby re-read the message again. She already gotten messages from Yang about her and Weiss going around the city to search for Blake and asked for her help.

"What are you going to do?" Neo asked, coming up from behind Ruby.

"I don't know. I should help her right?" Ruby asked, unsure.

"It depends. If you step in immediately then she wouldn't really learn anything, but at the same time she could get hurt." Neo replied, giving her different points.

"I doubt she'd be seriously hurt. Maybe I should hold off a little before getting involved." Ruby thought aloud.

"There you go. Do you want us to come with you?" Neo asked.

"No. No, it'll be fine. I'm going to wander around for a little. Make it seem like I'm looking for her." Ruby stated.

"Wait. Before you go, could we talk?" Neo asked awkwardly.

"What about?" Ruby asked, though she knew what it'd be about.

"Yesterday. Us. Kissing." Neo stated.

"I like you, I like you a lot. If…if you want to try dating, I don't mind. I'll leave it up to you." Ruby replied.

"But…what about me? You're immortal and I'm not. We can't be together." Neo replied.

Ruby just smiled sadly at the woman, "One day at a time. It's how I lived and continue to live. I don't think into the future; I just take each day as it comes. Things like ten years later, twenty, thirty have all lost their meaning to me. I focus on tomorrow. Then the next day, and so on. If you want to try, then we can. Equally if you don't, we'll forget about the kiss and move on." Ruby supplied.

"What do you want?" Neo asked, looking at Ruby.

"I'd like to give it a go. That kiss was my first in a long time, and I loved it. Kissing you was…is amazing. I'd love to try but if you don't want to. Then I'll move on past it and we'll go back to being friends." Ruby answered.

Neo stood there, thinking. Her mind working through both points but eventually it settled on an answer. Leaning up she kissed Ruby on the lips, "That's my answer." Neo said, leaning back again.

"Good answer." Ruby replied with a smirk, capturing Neo's lips again.

After five minutes of just kissing in the hallway they broke apart, "I've got to go. I'll be back soon and I'll take you out on a date." Ruby promised, before leaving.

As she left, pulling out her scroll she dialled one of the numbers she stored in there. "Hello, it's Miss Rose…yes, I'm good thank you. I have a small favour…Thank you, yes…I'd like a table for two next week; Saturday night…Really? That's amazing. Thank you so much, I owe you one." Ruby said, smiling widely as she carried on walking randomly throughout the city.

While out in the city she ran into Penny, which not long after that an explosion was seen from the docks. Running alongside Penny Ruby pretended to be knocked back by a blast from Roman but instead she sat on the edge, watching the fighting with Blake and Sun, and then Penny.

Ruby watched Penny, seeing the swords and the strings which controlled them. She couldn't help the frown on her face when she worked out that Penny was synthetic.

"What have you been doing Ironwood?" Ruby wondered aloud.

Seeing the fighting draw to a close, Penny was rushed off by someone but she was distracted by Weiss and Yang arriving.

Jumping down she waited for the police to arrive, and putting them through to the headmaster it was soon cleared up, leaving the four women time to talk to each other, or rather Weiss and Blake to talk.

While this was happening Ruby couldn't help the smile on her face as she planned out her date with Neo the following week, excited that it was finally happening.

* * *

"Hello Neo, may I come in?" The old man asked, standing at the door.

"Um of course. Would you like anything? Tea? Coffee?" Neo asked.

"Tea sounds lovely. Thank you." The man said, moving to sit down. "Where is Amber?" He asked.

"Oh she's gone out to get some things for dinner, she should be back soon. What can I do for you?" Neo asked as she gave the man his tea.

"How would you like to help Ruby in her fight?" The man asked.

"But how could I help?" Neo asked, confused as she knew Amber couldn't get involved and she thought by extension she couldn't.

"You see, Roman Torchwick is looking for a partner…" The man started to explain and the more Neo listened and the chance to help Ruby she accepted it. But was sad to know that she'd have to leave the next day.

* * *

 **One month** **later.**

Ruby was annoyed. Beyond annoyed as she sat there in the cafeteria. Amber had told her where Neo had gone and it took the woman a lot of effort to stop her from going to the old man and throwing him off a cliff in response.

Now it had been a month since she had last seen Neo, she held the reservation at the restaurant she had booked for their date but it seemed Neo wasn't going to make it anytime soon.

She still went home each week and spent time with Amber, catching up together on the previous week.

Ruby came back into present time when she saw food flying around her, sighing she put on a fake smile and took part, and by the end of it was laughing with her team. The sheer randomness of the event taking Ruby by surprise.

She couldn't help but smile when it came to combat class, something about watching Pyrrha destroy CRNL, but when she spotted Mercury being the one to ask to fight Pyrrha again.

"Ah Professor, Pyrrha just fought against four people, shouldn't she have a break? I'll happily take her place to fight against Mercury." Ruby said sweetly, though it was something in her tone that made it hard to refuse.

"Alright then Miss Church, come down to the ring." Glynda said, and once the two were ready she said, "Begin!" She called out.

Ruby blocked the first kick with her arm and delivered one of her own that was met in the middle. Spinning out of the lock she brought her arm around to just catch Mercury around the face.

Knocking him back Ruby jumped on the moment as she followed up with a second punch to the chest, making contact she ducked underneath a high kick and used her leg to trip him up and knocked him to the ground.

Standing up Ruby spun once more as she drew her sword, the blade fully extending and the attack was moving to server Mercury's head from his body.

Until Glynda called out, "Claire! That's enough." Glynda shouted.

Ruby stopped just short of Mercury's neck. Putting her blade away she helped the man up but leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"This is my only warning. Run. Run and never look back, for the next time we meet on the battlefield. There won't be anyone to stop me." Ruby whispered, quickly coming away from him and bowing to him. "My apologises. I got caught up in the moment." Ruby said and returned to her seat.

Class finished shortly after and Mercury and Emerald left so fast that it actually shocked the others but a few of them stayed behind.

"Claire, what the hell was that? You looked ready to kill him!" Weiss exclaimed rather loudly.

"I got caught up in the moment, and I just reacted. If I encounter a threat, I move to end it." Ruby replied, answering the question.

They didn't say anymore, accepting her answer although some of them were a little unsure on the answer and slightly scared.

With the dance coming up soon Ruby or rather Claire was more quiet, trusting Yang to speak to Blake. Which succeeded, at least for a little bit.

Claire didn't dress up for the dance, not feeling the mood when she had no one to go with. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be like this, Claire was supposed to be happy and bubbly, but she didn't really care at the moment.

So standing from the balcony Ruby watched as the others were enjoying themselves, weapons hidden beneath her jacket.

"Shouldn't you be down there enjoying yourself Miss Church?" Ozpin asked, resting on his cane next to her.

"There are a lot of things I should be doing Professor. But it seems like tonight will not be a night to enjoy myself." Ruby replied cryptically.

"Perhaps. But it is rare we have these quieter times to just relax and maybe forget ourselves for a little while." Ozpin replied.

Ruby watched as Mercury and Emerald entered the dance and it told her to go. Something was clearly up with the way they were watching everyone as they came into the room. "Why don't you watch Professor? Perhaps if you keep your eyes open you will maybe see something." Ruby said, not waiting for an answer as she walked away and outside the hall.

Her eyes instantly trained on the shape taking down the two guards outside the CCT and she sighed, 'humans never learn.' She thought to herself as she followed.

"You never learn child. You should stop messing with powers you do not comprehend." Ruby said, walking into the room as she saw Cinder at a console.

"What the…how did you know I was here?" Cinder asked, shocked and fearful as she took in the woman's appearance. Looking almost identical to when she first attacked, with hair and eyes matching the same colour.

Ruby smirked as she saw Cinder's hand, wrapped in bandages and still burnt from what she had done to her before. "Perhaps a second round will finally break through to your brain. I do not offer third chances." Ruby stated coldly. Her pistol in her hand and barking out. Destroying the console Cinder was on.

Cinder moved out of the way and materialised her own bow and fired a group of arrows at Ruby.

Ruby raised her shield, stopping the strike before it came too close and her pistol roared in reply. Sending a series of bullets towards Cinder, who was barely able to dodge them but Ruby's second pistol was in her hand and firing where Cinder was landing.

Ruby watched as a couple of her bullets tore past Cinder's aura and into her body, but it was only grazing wounds.

Dashing forward Ruby dropped one of her pistols onto the ground as she drew her sword, the blade extending and forming as she pulled it out.

She aimed the blade across the midriff, meeting the bow in the middle but this didn't stop Ruby as she immediately spun around, reversing her hold and going the other direction, going lower as she aimed for the waist.

Once more Cinder was able to block the strike with her bow but then Ruby stood up and punched Cinder in the face. Stunning her long enough for her to cut the bow in half but it just dissolved.

"Surrender now and you may yet live. Continue to fight and you shall die here." Ruby stated coldly, her eyes changing from silver to black.

"Why are you doing this? Why can't you let me kill them? They are undeserving of the power, they lie and hide the truth from so many people, why are you trying to stop me?" Cinder almost begged.

"It is my duty to protect the Maidens. You are a threat to the Maiden's but you do not stop there, you threaten the peace that the world holds, mess with powers you do not understand. I give you this chance, surrender and run. Run far from here. I promise you will not get this offer again." Ruby replied, taking a few steps back from Cinder.

"It's not that simple. It never is." Cinder replied almost sad.

"Then for your sake I hope the next we meet you have someone to vouch for you or else my blade will run red with your blood." Ruby stated bluntly.

"What do you mean next time?" Cinder asked, confused but then heard the elevator start running.

Cinder took the moment to escape, confused as to why she was being let go but didn't question it aloud as she quickly made her exit.

Ruby raised her hand towards the elevator as she stopped it from moving, at least for a few moments to give her enough time to do what she needed to.

Opening up the computer she quickly searched through and found what Cinder was putting onto the system, a rather complicated virus that would allow Cinder to take control of communications and even other things.

Making a copy of the virus Ruby looked around to see an arrow on the ground, picking it up she checked her eyes, making sure they reverted back to purple alongside her hair as well, making sure it matched who she was supposed to be.

Releasing her hold on the elevator she grabbed the arrow and pointed it at her shoulder, "This is going to hurt." Ruby mumbled to herself, pushing the arrow into her shoulder, grimacing but showing no other sign of discomfort.

Throwing herself down to the floor against she raised her injured arm up with a pistol in her hand towards the elevator door.

As soon as the door opened Ruby fired, a bullet smacking into the wall behind Ironwood and his soldiers.

 **A/N**

 **So I'm skipping over a fuck ton of stuff in this, like pretty much ten episodes of the second volume because let's be honest, not too much of note actually happens. Next chapter will be the fight against Roman and there will be a lot of things happening after that as I sort of finish off the volume in a chapter or two before moving on to the third volume.**

 **Honestly, I don't want to write everything that happens episode for episode and just rather be brief with it all, as I mentioned there will be a lot of information and history dumped on you in the next couple of chapters and a little more behind different events in Ruby's past lives.**

 **Not much more I want to say really, thanks for reading and keep reviewing makes me motivated to edit this, gods know how many times.**

 **Until next time.**

 **Oh and there are seventeen thousand words left, so still a while to go.**


	9. Chapter 9

" _For it is in passing we achieve immortality." Pyrrha_

 **Chapter 9-**

"Friendly! Friendly!" One of the soldiers shouted out as they all ducked and moved into the room, taking cover behind some of the tables.

"Took you long enough." Ruby groaned out, putting her pistol down to allow the soldiers including Ironwood to come out of cover and look at Ruby.

"What happened?" Ironwood asked, crouching down next to Ruby as another soldier look at her injury.

"Woman in a mask attacked the guard's downstairs, I followed after her. She was doing something on the computer but I interrupted her. We fought and I managed to get a couple hits in but she caught me with an arrow. We heard you coming up and she bailed. I didn't know which side you were so I shot first." Ruby answered easily, but made sure to sound in pain.

"Sir, she needs immediate medical treatment." The soldier stated.

"Just pull it out and wrap it in a bandage, I'll be find in a day or two." Ruby replied, grimacing slightly at the dull, throbbing pain.

"But…" The soldier attempted to say.

"Do it. Or I'll do it myself." Ruby stated coldly, staring the man down until he reached for the arrow and pulled it out, bandaging up the wound as best he could.

"Am I able to leave now?" Ruby asked, turning her attention to Ironwood.

"Yes, you may Miss Church. But I must ask that next time that you do not intervene or attempt to fight, you are still just a student." Ironwood replied, condescendingly.

Ruby just stood up, walking to the elevator as she said under her breath. "Watch your words child, there is much you do not understand." Ruby mumbled and it seemed like he heard her as she left.

By the time she got back to her dorm room the wound was already healed and she removed the bloody bandages and threw them into a bin.

Telling her team about what had happened made them worried but she left out the part about being hurt, but they all agreed that the next day they would start looking around the city for anything happening.

They split up the next day, Ruby going off on her own and she even ran into Penny. Speaking with the girl a little more she was surprised when the girl revealed the fact she was a robot by protecting her against a truck.

She couldn't help but wonder what Ironwood was attempting to do, if he was truly attempting to better things or something else.

Turning around she found Penny had vanished and a call coming through her scroll about problems with Blake and Sun involving a Paladin and Roman.

Leaving, using her semblance of speed she made quick time to help her team on the highway and was able to knock the large robot off and onto the ground.

Calling out a series of commands Ruby and her team were able to defeat Roman but she escaped. Neo helping her.

Ruby stood there, Blake was next to her as she recognised who the woman was. Ruby stood there frozen in shock at seeing Neo aiding Roman and those she was fighting against, but that shock soon faded to anger.

Walking away Ruby, "Go back to Beacon. I'll be back later." Ruby barked over her shoulder, her destination was locked in her mind.

Blake looked sadly at Claire's retreating form, she'd met the girl and knew Ruby was close. Really close if what Amber had said was true, so she knew what Ruby must be feeling now. The same sense of betrayal she felt with Adam.

Her decision was made quickly, deciding to help Claire as she knew the feeling and didn't want her to be alone. Who knew what she might do.

Slipping away from the other two was easy, and she silently followed Claire and where she was going. Confused as she went to a small on the side shop selling noodles.

Standing back, she silently watched what was happening, between Claire and the old man running the shop.

Ruby was seething, her rage was barely contained that she didn't notice Blake following her. Arriving at the old man's shop she saw Neptune and Sun sitting there, eating.

"Sun. Neptune. Leave. Now!" Ruby barked, scaring the two men that they decided to follow her order and run.

"You! You set her up for this! She could die. If they ever find out, they'll kill her. I won't be able to save her, and you knew. You fucking knew when we met." Ruby screamed at the man, her shield on her arm deploying on instinct and her sword was in her hand in mere moments.

"Ruby, please. Sit down and let me explain. There's a lot to tell you about everything." The old man said, his voice was calm against Ruby's screaming voice.

"I'll give you three minutes. I owe you that much, but if I don't like your explanation then I walk. I walk and you never see me again. I don't care for our history." Ruby said angrily, still annoyed but calmer as she took a seat.

"What do you know about the mind's eye?" The man asked.

"If you plan on asking me questions I walk right now." Ruby threatened.

He sighed in response, "To put it simply, the mind's eye is a belief that people are able to see in the future. I had this gift alongside my own powers as a wizard. Strictly speaking I could not see every event. It was very much pick and choose in whatever the Fates decided to show me." The man explained.

"I didn't see you and your sisters arriving that day, nor the events that transpired after that. But not long ago I saw an event coming. A large battle in Vale, between Atlas soldiers, Hunters and Huntresses from Beacon and a few others. And the Grimm, alongside Cinder's faction. Amongst them was Neo. Working with Torchwick. I can't give too much away; in case I change how it plays out." The man said.

"I made a decision. I had a feeling about Neo, so I approached her before Torchwick. Set in motion the events before us, but at the same time to keep everything to plan I needed her to be with that man and against you. I spoke to her, explained multiply things to her about this and it was her choice. She could act as an insider for you, giving you information when she can about what is to happen. But it is serious. It starts at the tournament." The man informed her.

"What is so important about this? My duty is to protect the Maiden's. Not get involved in human affairs as much as this, so why am I doing this? Why am I set on this path?" Ruby asked.

"They want to release him." Was all the man said, but it was enough for Ruby's face to drop at the news.

"He's sealed. I made sure of that. He is sealed, there's no way to…" Ruby stopped, a cold chill going through her body. "Who?" She asked.

"Katakana. She was interrupted but they got her, Qrow managed to stop them but couldn't clearly see them. But he's taken her to the others. Out of my reach." The man informed her sadly.

Ruby closed her eyes. Processing the news and multiply plans running through her brain at once. "I can get you in. I have an idea of where they might be, if not I'll find out and get you in…" Ruby said, telling him of the multiply ideas she had of getting them in to wherever Katakana was being kept.

"Ruby, stop. Please. I…I need to tell you something." The man said, sadly once more.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"I'm dying." He stated bluntly. "I have been for years; I gave the four of you most of my remaining powers. The only reason I've been able to survive is how I am drawing away from your powers, but I can't keep doing that. With what's coming, my time has long since passed. This will be the last time you see me, so I guess you can ask me whatever you want and I'll answer as best I can." The man said, his tone was mournful but not because of dying, but because he was leaving Ruby.

"But…but you can't die. Take my power back, I don't need it. I can live without it and still do my duty, please. You can't die." Ruby said, tears falling down her face at the news.

The man regarded her sadly, "I can't do that. You know as well as I do that I can't. I'm sorry to be leaving you like this, but you need your full power. Not some half assed power." The man said, swearing for the first time in Ruby's long life.

"Please. I want you to, please keep living. I don't care about my powers. Use them, I'll find something. Something to give you my gift. Something to make you immortal instead. I don't want it. But you…you can do good with it, you have done. There must be a way." Ruby said, trailing off tearfully as she thought of any way possible to save him.

"I know it's hard Ruby, but please, please don't make it harder. I'm made peace with myself. I've led a long life, too long perhaps. And I am old, but you. You are young, yes you've lived a long life as well but you are forever young, you can do more good then I. It's why I gave you and your sisters the power. Please, keep living, keep helping people. I know you see your immortality as a curse but you've helped so many people with it. So please, keep living, if not for yourself but for me." The man begged.

"But I can't lose you as well. You're the only one left, please. I don't want to be alone again." Ruby begged back.

"You won't lose me. I'll always be with you, and be watching over you. And you won't be alone, you have friends that care about you. Amber, Neo, your teammates. They all care about you; you won't be alone. And I think I should be truthful with you about something." The man said.

"What?" Ruby asked, tears still rolling down her face.

"The soul mark. It's not just something to push you towards your soul mate. But rather offers a gift. I've only ever seen one other person with the mark. You are given a choice, according to what I was told, the gift can be whatever it is the two of you desire the most. But it is only when the two seal the bond." The man explained.

"Who gives the gift? How do you bond? What does it all mean?" Ruby asked in quick fire fashion.

"I don't know, making love with each other, and I don't know that either. She didn't tell me much about it, but that's all I know. That and the fact the mark reacts when close to them." The man explained.

"I know the last part, it's hard not to see." Ruby replied softly. Standing up from her seat she slid over the counter and hugged the old man. "I love you, you're like my father. Always there for me, and helping me. I love you and thank you. For everything." Ruby whispered softly, hugging the man close. Neither caring at how Ruby was wetting his shoulder with her tears.

"I love you too Summer, you and your sisters are all like the daughters I never had. Thank you, thank you for getting me outside that day." The man replied. "Remember that you're never alone. Even now, one of your friends is worried for you." He pointed out.

"I can feel her. Just now, but she's been here the whole time. I'm sure you didn't say anything on purpose. But I have to ask. How many are going to die? Is there any way to save them?" Ruby asked, scared of the answer.

"I don't know. Perhaps it is possible to save a few, but you must remember that you can't save everyone." The man replied. "You should go." He gently suggested.

"I know." Ruby said, not moving from hugging the man. "May the Fates guide you to the next life, rest easy now traveller and find peace in the next life." Ruby said strongly, but her breaking voice betrayed her true emotions.

"Thank you." The man whispered, feeling honoured by what Ruby had said. Knowing very few people have ever heard Ruby's last rite she gives to people.

Although simple and brief the only people she had said these words to were her closest friends, the two Shadows, alongside her three sisters, though they weren't sisters by blood they were close enough to Ruby to be called as such.

Blake came out of the shadows as she saw Ruby pull away, shocked that she wasn't surprised at her appearance and was even more shocked when the man spoke to her. "Trust her, she will explain in time. And both of you should trust Ozpin. And Summer, may we meet again." The man said, smiling sadly at the pair before he vanished.

Ruby started to cry again, only muttering out one word to Blake, "Amber." She said weakly, fresh tears running down her face as everything settled in.

Unsure what to do exactly Blake reached for where Ruby kept her scroll, unlocking it with ease and dialling the number labelled Amber.

It was answered within seconds, "Ruby. What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?" Amber asked quickly, unsure what to make of the unexpected call at this time.

"Amber? It's Blake. I um, I'm not sure what to say. Claire, I mean Ruby…Summer, I uh. Don't know her real name. But she's crying, like a lot. Something happened, an old man running a noodle shop, I don't know…" Blake attempted to explain but was interrupted.

"I understand. We live not far from the town centre. You're under the highway right?" Amber asked, rattling off an address shortly after.

Hanging up Blake managed to slowly get Ruby to walk, and eventually they arrived at the modest house.

Barely knocking on the door it was thrown open and both of them were pulled inside quickly and practically thrown onto the couch.

Amber took in the scene quickly and hugged Ruby, whatever it was that happened was clearly big as it affected Ruby as badly as it did.

Eventually after almost two hours of crying, Ruby had cried herself out and fallen asleep on Amber. "We'll talk tomorrow, clear the air a little. I already know what happened, he spoke to me with Neo. You're free to stay the night, there's plenty of room and maybe some clothes that'll fit you. But could I ask one more favour? Could you help me get Ruby to bed?" Amber asked.

"Of course." Blake said, helping Amber get Ruby to bed, and once she was shown the spare room she stripped down and went to bed herself.

 **A/N**

 **So it was never really my plan to have him live through the story, or really be that immortal but just a longer life span. So him drawing power from Ruby to sustain himself sounds good to me. If you're wondering how it affects Ruby's power, then it's like taking a sip out of a glass of water. It's not a lot but just enough.**

 **I haven't got much in the way of things to say except that I'll be doing a double update, one this morning and then one tonight. So expect Chapter ten, well it's tonight for me let's say in around twelve to fourteen hours.**

 **I'm doing this because I'm dumping loads of information on you with this chapter but the next will be a lot while the one after that drops another bombshell which won't pay off until the sequel.**

 **Oh and i'm looking at releasing more unfinished stuff or just random works, would people like to see that or not?**

 **So until next time.**


	10. Chapter 10

" _She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did."_

― _Markus Zusak, The Book Thief_

 **Chapter 10-**

The next morning, she was awoken by the smell of food and idle chatter coming from outside. Getting out of the bed, Blake just wore her underwear and a large shirt for sleepwear.

Leaving the room, she spotted Ruby cooking in the kitchen while Amber sat at the island and watched. The two engaging in idle chit-chat about the fight the night before.

"So Weiss managed to put two glyphs over your pistols so you could freeze the Paladin in place? Isn't it supposed to be one of the best things out there? And yet it was beaten by three Huntresses in training and you?" Amber asked in disbelief.

"She did, she's doing really good now but she kept it up really well. And yeah, serious design flaw there. Might talk to some people and ask about getting the designs for them and having a look." Ruby said.

Blake quietly walked into the kitchen and was standing by the island as the words slipped from her mouth, "Who are you?" Both women turned and looked at her quickly, causing her to blush and stutter out an apology.

"It's alright. You deserve some sort of answer about last night. Claire Church, is an alias. One of many that I have. The hair and eyes are all dye and just a simple matter of cutting some hair and an outfit change and there you go, new person." Ruby said.

"My real name is Summer Ruby Rose, Summer Maiden, Huntress and immortal. That's about it right?" Ruby asked Amber playfully.

"I think you cover all the bases there. Oh and Corvus wants a chat while you're here." Amber added.

"I'll speak to him before I go." Ruby threw back, as she carried on cooking breakfast to hide her smirk at Blake's open mouthed look.

"Why don't you take a seat? We'll explain everything over breakfast." Amber gently suggested, putting coffee on the table for her.

Blake, not completely sure how to take it all just sat down. Seeing how Ruby was completely different to how she was the night before.

Ruby placed the food in front of the two women, and laid her plate in front of her. "Where do you want to start?" Ruby asked.

"How about the beginning?" Blake said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"It's a little complicated, there are two beginnings. The very beginning, or the beginning of the current events." Ruby said awkwardly.

"The very beginning." Blake said without hesitation.

Ruby just sighed, "I ask that you keep an open mind, and maybe keep the questions to the end?" Ruby said/asked, unsure how she was going to explain this.

"Ok." Blake said, dragging the word out, unsure.

"To start at the beginning. I'm old, really old. I don't remember my birth, or really anything of my early life except that I travelled a lot, every place I stayed I would be there for a day, two max before a Grimm attack, I was seen as a bad omen because of my mark. So I travelled. Around the age of, I guess it'd be ten years old I met two people. A boy and a girl, the same age as I was. We discovered something interesting when we met. We could all fight, we came across some Grimm that attacked us. Scared, we didn't know what to do but when they hit us, they didn't. They hit a barrier of some sorts." Ruby explained.

"We discovered Aura, how it protected us from attacks. So we made a decision together. We would fight against the Grimm, we forged our own weapons. The two of them stuck with a single weapon each, I was a little more creative. I created multiply weapons, a weapon called Crescent Rose was my first, and favoured weapon but I also crafted the shield and sword I use today."

"So we travelled, village to village defeating Grimm but we never came close to making a dent in their numbers, or allowing humanity to grow again. Until a woman going only by the name Schnee made a discovery." Ruby said, smiling at the memory. Their food, all but forgotten.

"She discovered Dust. Over the couple years we travelled to fight Grimm, we found others like us, we trained and helped them to defend their home villages but when Dust was discovered, it was a game changer. It gave us that edge, she made it available to us for free. Telling us to rid the world of Grimm. It wasn't something we did but we pushed them back enough for humanity to expand. Build cities, spread out. It was the first real hope we had." Ruby said.

"It wasn't until I reached the age of twenty-one that we noticed something. Or rather a couple years later. I stopped aging. People around me grew up, grew old. But I didn't. Already I had life threatening wounds in fighting and they'd heal within minutes, whereas other people did not. It was later on that we discovered the full meaning behind it. But there's a lot more to go."

"As humanity expanded and built up, the Grimm were still around and people needed to be defended or defend others. So the militaries were created slowly as the kingdoms formed each had their own military, but they only fought for their own kingdom. Schnee had started to mine Dust and more, for those using Dust privately and the militaries needed to pay for it, however me and my two friends did not. Nor any others that fought with Aura to protect their villages and home towns."

The two women sat there, listening with rapt attention as neither thought on their food as they saw Ruby getting lost in her memories, smiling sadly at the memories.

"We decided that people with Aura could learn to fight, and fight better than the military against Grimm and they would have no boundaries. The only goal would be to help and protect people in need. We started the four main Hunter and Huntress schools in each of the four kingdoms. Alongside a number of minor ones that would act as gateways into the main four. The statue you see at all the schools; the cloak represents myself. I didn't want to have myself made into stone, but they did." Ruby explained, pausing for a moment to take a drink of her coffee.

"After that, the years went by. We trained up new Hunters and Huntresses, everyone referred to the three of us as Shadows, never understood why. But as the years moved on, my two friends slowly grew old and died. Our first students slowly taking over the teaching at the schools, passing on our teachings to new students and so on until this day where they still teach the same lessons." Ruby said, smiling as she remembered back to the lessons she had started teaching and then at Beacon today.

"I became more reclusive as the years went on, still teaching but eventually I started to become different people, just to avoid the question of how I was still alive. In the end I vanished, dead to everyone but was still alive, just travelling around. Somehow after a number of years after this, maybe two hundred years I came across three women. We ended up travelling together and somehow became close, like sisters. Travelling for a few years together we slowly ran into an old man, the one you saw earlier."

"It was strange, I'd become softer with them, it was nice. We slowly welcomed the old man, I even got him to come outside and we showed him such kindness and helped him with a large number of things that he actually granted us power. From here he discovered I was immortal. Similar to him almost, but he granted us the Maiden's power. The one the stories say about, but he had a mission for me."

"He asked me to watch over the Maiden's, protect them but also protect the power and people from the power in case something happened. Once more I watched the people close to me age and die but helping people until their death. From there I travelled again, set up a network of helpers and people to trust. Information passed down through families who kept their ancestors oath to me. The man Amber mentioned, Corvus is just one of many." Ruby finished off.

"Currently my role as Claire Church is because he wanted me to attend Beacon and stop what was to come, or be in a position to stop it. He gave me a clue as to what is going to happen, and I beg the Fates that it isn't true but it's gotten worse. He told me the Winter Maiden is in a coma, attacked." Ruby said, turning to look at Amber and seeing her shock.

"The same person that attacked you, hit her, my people were unable to protect her, I apologise but we may have to move you or perhaps you'll join me at Beacon. I am not completely sure yet." Ruby informed her.

"I understand." Amber replied.

"I'll ask that you think up a look and outfit and stuff for your identity and I'll get the process in motion." Ruby answered back. Then turning to Blake she said, "So any questions?" Ruby asked, as if this was normal.

"Um yeah. How…how are you immortal? How have you been alive for so long? What's that mark? You started the schools? The Maiden story is true? But how? It's a myth." Blake said rapidly.

"Accelerated cellular regeneration. Don't know how I got it, but just did. Same answer as before. Called a Soul Mark. Yes, I did with my two friends, we started them to fight against the Grimm. Yes, it is, all myths have an origin and this one is true. However, the version you know is wrong. In that version it says only three Maiden's existed, but in fact there was a forth. Thought to have died and the power never passed on. But I didn't die so the power didn't pass on. Only the Maiden's and a select few people knew the truth." Ruby explained.

"Ok…say that I believe you. How do I know you're telling the truth and not just messing with me?" Blake asked.

Ruby just removed her pistol from its holster and handed it over to Blake, but handle first, "Shoot me." Ruby said bluntly.

"What?! I'm not going to shoot you." Blake exclaimed.

Ruby just sighed and instead turned the gun on herself, removing her clothes so she wouldn't break them and shot her shoulder.

Both Amber and Blake cried out, shocked at what Ruby had done. Both of them rushed to her side to try and help her but were stopped.

"Just watch, trust me." Ruby said, not even in pain.

So both women watched as slowly the wound stitched itself back together until finally there was no sign of the bullet hole at all.

"What the…How the hell?" Blake said.

"Extremely quick cellular regeneration. Basically immortal and it'll be pretty hard to kill me. Do you believe me now?" Ruby asked.

"I…it's a lot to take in. But what about the powers and this so called soul mark?" Blake asked in return.

"The soul mark is harder to explain; I don't truly know it's nature. But basically I have a soul mate, someone who corresponds with the mark and yeah. That's all I can tell you for the moment. As for the powers. There are four Maiden's, Winter, Spring, Fall, and Summer. I am the Summer Maiden and Amber is the Fall Maiden. I know the identities of the other two, but I will keep them to myself for the moment." Ruby said.

"Ok. I believe you, this doesn't seem like something you'd lie about. Especially after that display. But what about Neo? She was working with Roman." Blake asked.

"The old man, he asked Neo to join Roman. Something about Fate and how she was supposed to be with them. There's nothing I can do about it, I just simply have to let things happen as they happen, I can't do anything but react." Ruby replied.

"Aren't you worried that she'll turn? Stay working with Roman?" Blake asked.

"No. I'm not concerned. Why don't you go get ready? We need to return to Beacon soon, I believe we are discovering our assignment for a mission today." Ruby said, using that as a dismissal, "Oh and when we return, it's Claire." Ruby added.

Once Blake had left Ruby turned to Amber, "You knew. I'm sure both of you were here when he came and spoke to you both. Why didn't you tell me?" Ruby asked.

"He told us not to, sworn us to secrecy to keep this hidden from you. He said that it needed to play out as normal, it had already been changed with you saving me. Now with Winter, it's balancing out. Returning to its original state." Amber answered.

"Ok." Ruby said, standing up as she made to go get ready herself.

"Ok? That's it? No anger? Shouting? Anything?" Amber asked, standing up in shock.

"There would be no point. I understand why he did it, although I don't agree with it. I can't change the past, no matter how hard I want to try. So instead I will carry on, adapt and survive what is to come. He gave me a warning before passing and I'd be a fool to not listen to it." Ruby answered.

"Oh I see. So what do we do now? Neo is working on the inside, but what am I supposed to do?" Amber asked, unsure as now she was stuck here alone. It was alright when Neo was with her, but now Neo was off doing something important, and so was Ruby. She was left here all alone, again.

"By the start of the tournament you will be in school with me, pretending to be a student. We're going to discover what is really going on and I can keep you safe with Velvet." Ruby answered, and left the room.

Before leaving she spoke briefly with Corvus, telling him the plan and also informing him of a mission she would have for him soon. Alongside a promise to seen the designs and brief to him shortly.

 **A/N**

 **So this is the second of the chapter of the double update, so if you haven't read chapter nine then go and do that now.**

 **With that sorted, I gave you a lot of back story in this chapter. It's not that fleshed out because it's sort of a basic overview for Blake's benefit there, and next up will be one of my favourite episodes. Mount Glenn.**

 **Not much to actually talk about, so until next time.**

 **Quick edit, i need some help IDing some clothes that a character wears in a show, it's Pina Co Lada from Gate. If someone's able to help, that would be fucking amazing. PM me if you can help. Please and thank you. Also really fucking late edit here.**


	11. Chapter 11

" _Sooner or later we've all got to let go of our past."_

― _Dan Brown, Deception Point_

 **Chapter 11-**

When Ruby and Blake returned to Beacon, Ruby once more becoming Claire as easily as she could revert back to Ruby. They were met by their team, asking where they had gone off to but were soon interrupted when it was discovered where they would be going and who with.

So they had no chance to find out where Ruby and Blake had vanished off to, nor any time to discuss the fight the night before.

Arriving at Mount Glenn, Ruby felt the power around her and couldn't stop the shiver down her spine as she left the Bullhead but luckily was able to be distracted in fighting the Grimm, ignoring the professor with them as he spoke.

She was killing a pack of Beowolves when her mark started to push her towards an alley. Confused she checked behind her to discover her team were off somewhere else in the ruined city and so instead followed where her mark was pushing her to.

As soon as she entered the alley she immediately had two small arms wrap around her and pull her into a searing kiss. Her hands were about to push back the attacker and slash at them but she felt the familiar feeling of the lips and taste and realised just who it was kissing her.

Dropping her sword for the first time in her life intentionally, she wrapped her arms around the smaller body and lifted the woman up.

Neo wrapped her legs around Ruby's back, intensifying the kiss further as it had felt like too long since they had last seen each other like this.

Eventually Ruby broke the kiss, but didn't release her hold on Neo. "Hey." Ruby said huskily.

Neo couldn't help but laugh, not seeing each other for ages and that was what Ruby came out with, _'Hey'_ So Neo said instead, "I'm sorry I missed our date."

This time it was Ruby's turn to laugh, "It's fine. Our reservation is still open every Saturday night, so just pick a day." Ruby replied.

"You shouldn't have to do that; it must cost you so much for them to keep it open for you. You don't need to spend all that." Neo replied, feeling guilty at Ruby spending so much money on her.

"Don't worry about it. Money doesn't matter to me anymore, I'd rather spend it on someone special then let it waste away in an account, never to be used." Ruby said, but the fleeting tone in her voice reminded both of them of just where they were and what they were doing.

"Right…I'm sorry I didn't tell you, he…" Neo started to explain rapidly.

"I know, don't worry. He told me…just before he passed." Ruby spoke softly, sadness evident in her tone.

"I'm so sorry, I should have told you." Neo said, hugging Ruby tighter as she knew how it must feel for Ruby to lose him.

"It's fine. I'll be fine. Adapt and survive." Ruby said softly, stopping the topic from going further but was touched by concern from Neo.

"Right, right. Um ok, I'll tell you what I know so far. They haven't told me everything yet, but just pieces." Neo explained.

"Ok. What are you doing here? Please tell me it's nothing to do with the mountain." Ruby asked, almost begging.

"Um no, it's the train tunnels. They're planning on luring the Grimm into the city by running a train through the old tunnel that connects this place to Vale." Neo explained.

"Shit, that could cause a lot of devastation, especially if they time it right. So does this mean that Roman's here? Because you're here. How did you even know I was here anyway?" Ruby asked quickly.

"I know, and yeah. Roman is here, he's organising it all but I think once it's ready he's going somewhere else. I think they've got something bigger plan. The talk is that the train won't be moving for a little while yet. And well, I don't know how I knew you was here. I wanted to take a walk and I heard fighting. So thought I'd see what was happening, in case I needed to warn anyone. And well…I uh…spotted you." Neo explained, blushing a little at the end.

"Oh so you blush now? Why's that? We were just kissing, rather heatedly if I may say so myself." Ruby said, teasing Neo.

"Oh well um. I saw you fighting, and well uh…you see…" Neo stuttered out, struggling to find the words.

"Don't worry. If you don't want to say, then don't. I don't mind. I don't suppose you could tell me where the entrance to the train station is, can you?" Ruby asked, changing the topic.

"I can. Whenever you let me down." Neo replied, smirking at Ruby.

"I think I'm alright like this for the moment." Ruby replied, capturing Neo's lips once more with her own.

"Claire! Claire! Where are you? Come on, we've got to set up basecamp." Weiss was yelling out, searching for Ruby.

Breaking apart Neo spoke first, "I think you'll need to get back. I can show you the way later on, just keep an eye out." Neo replied, kissing Ruby once more before pushing herself off Ruby and gracefully flipping backwards and vanished off into the alley.

Sighing Ruby couldn't help the smile that graced her lips after that encounter. It was clear that Neo still felt just as strongly about her, and she cursed Weiss' interruption but even that couldn't stop her smile.

"I'm here Weiss, stop shouting and attracting the Grimm if you please." Ruby said, coming out of the alley.

Weiss was about to ask why Claire was in the alley and smiling weirdly but a look from her made it so she didn't, "We're setting up a base camp. And I think Oobleck wants to talk to you." Weiss informed her.

"Right, come on then. We better meet them." Ruby said, forgetting that she dropped her sword but already found it at her waist. Smiling once more she followed Weiss to the ruined building that they'd be using as base camp.

"Ah Miss Church, I'm glad you're back. Good hunt, I suppose?" Oobleck asked.

"Yes, Grimm are rather interesting in their attempts to attack." Ruby replied, and followed where Oobleck was pointing to.

"Why don't the rest of you get your sleeping bags sorted and a fire going for dinner? I'm going to talk to Miss Church." Oobleck said.

"I've got first watch, so just relax." Ruby replied, and followed Oobleck up to the next level.

"So, you've been asking my team about their reasons for being a Huntress, yet you've not asked me. I'm curious, was it because you couldn't get me alone or was it something else?" Ruby asked, turning it around on the professor.

"Your reasons seem pretty known, you project them almost." Oobleck stated, following as Ruby took a position that she could look across the ruined city.

"And what would they be Professor?" Ruby asked.

"You want to protect people. It's clear in your actions, even in your attacks. You finish a fight quickly, in initiation you gave tips on how to quickly and efficiently kill Grimm, so you have extensive knowledge on Grimm autonomy. But you wish to protect people from the danger of Grimm, but there's something else there as well. A secret that you've yet to reveal. I can't help but wonder what that secret might be." Oobleck explained.

Ruby bellowed out a laugh at the response she was given, "You should hope my secret is never revealed Professor, else it be a dark day for that to happen. But you're right." Ruby said, looking across the failed city, failed chance at expansion.

"And what would I be right about Miss Church?" Oobleck asked.

"Claire…And you'd be right, I do want to protect people. The Grimm are creatures that threaten humanity, have done for centuries. Yet there is so much petty infighting amongst Humanity, and even with the Faunus. It is pointless and petty when there is a much bigger threat in front of you. Yet they still do it, just think. If Humanity and the Faunus worked together as one like they did before, then maybe this city wouldn't have failed. There are many aspects of the old times that would mean this city would have worked." Ruby said, losing herself once more as she thought on the past again.

"And what of the old times would work? To my knowledge it was fleeting villages fighting to survive before the first two hunters rose up." Oobleck asked, intrigued in the history Claire seemed to know.

Ruby turned her attention to look down at her team below her, looking at both Weiss and Blake, though for different reasons. "A long time ago, before Weiss' grandfather inherited the Schnee Dust Company, did you know only the Schnee women were allowed to run the company? And that they had a series of values they all adhered to?" Ruby asked.

"No. What would they be?" Oobleck asked, leaning against a wall as he soaked up the knowledge.

"Hunters and Huntresses could have Dust for free so long as they were protecting the people of Remnant. The first Schnee discovered Dust and did the same thing, and made sure it was passed down. Oh the military and private users of Dust would have to pay; a fraction of the cost it is today but nevertheless would need to pay. She believed that it was only though unity and the right resources that the Grimm could be pushed back and ultimately beaten, though this proved far harder than they all thought. But then when Weiss' grandfather took over, he only cared for money. The cities built around the world still stood, the Grimm were held off so he didn't care. Everyone would need to pay. Greed took over, and so everyone has suffered for it." Ruby said, angry at all that had happened and more than once wished she had done more.

"How did you learn all of that? I've never heard of such things." Oobleck stated.

"Books, reading. My mother taught me a lot, stories of old have been passed down in my family for years." Ruby lied, using the story she always used.

"Well then, your family must be one of the only ones to remember." Oobleck said.

"But you were correct, I want to protect humanity from the Grimm. Give people the chance to experience life to the fullest, and live without the dark threat looming over them. So that is why I became a Huntress." Ruby stated.

"Do you know of anything about the original hunters?" Oobleck asked, curious to see what her response would be. If there was knowledge passed down in her family, then perhaps he could learn a little more.

"Do you know their names? The first two? Or anything about them outside of the statues?" Ruby asked, staring at Blake.

"No I do not. I know they started the schools, wanting to pass their knowledge on to the next generation so that the Hunters and Huntresses may protect Humanity. But outside of that, I do not know." Oobleck admitted.

"They were a boy and a girl, wanting to protect people so they stood up. Made their own weapons and fought against the Grimm, they were hero's in the eyes of everyone. They made the schools to pass their knowledge on." Ruby explained.

"Do you know their names? Or anything about them?" Oobleck asked, his thirst for knowledge coming through.

"The girl was a Faunus, a cat Faunus to be exact. That is not common knowledge, I don't understand why but I wish it was public knowledge of this fact, perhaps then they would be equals. But their names, the boy was called Jonas Arc. First in a long line of Arc's, you know one of his line now." Ruby said, smiling at the man.

"Who was the girl?" Oobleck asked, but felt like he already knew.

"The girl was called Lily Belladonna, a beautiful woman and one of the strongest with the way she wielded her axe with ease." Ruby said, smiling at the man but looked at Blake.

"Is Blake…?" Oobleck asked, interrupted by Ruby.

"Yes, she is." Ruby said, looking almost sad as she spoke. "I better get to watch, thank you for the talk." Ruby said, turning to look out at the city. Blinking the tears away in her eyes.

Eventually as night settled on and she could hear her team speaking below and Oobleck seemed to be making notes below her, she felt a presence close by.

"Are you ok?" Neo asked, and although Ruby couldn't see her, she knew the girl was close by.

"I'm fine, just brought up some memories of old." Ruby replied softly.

"She looks like her doesn't she? That's why your sad, right?" Neo said.

Ruby sighed out at how easily Neo had guessed, "Yeah she does. Lily was my closest friend, so was Jonas but I was just closer with Lily." Ruby explained.

"You loved her." Neo stated plainly.

"I did." Ruby replied sadly, "Where's this entrance then?" Ruby asked, changing the subject as she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

 **A/N**

 **So the next chapter will actually follow directly on from this one, but I decided to break it up here because I can.**

 **So now the bad news, like really bad. I'm updating on a Saturday because my laptop is broken, and has to be sent away to get fixed. It'll take up to ten to fourteen days, I haven't actually spoken with them personally to find ways around it yet but I'm going up there in about an hour after posting this to do it.**

 **So this means that there will be no chapter for two weeks, and I know this is really annoying not just for you, but for me as well, extremely because I'm in the middle of writing something.**

 **So this will be your last chapter for a couple weeks, and likely from me entirely for the next couple weeks but not sure what I'm going to be doing exactly.**

 **So until next time. Very long time. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

_If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near. -Sun Tzu_

 **Chapter 12-**

"I'm going to do an illusion of two guards wandering around, you'll spot them and bring your team to follow them. Sound good?" Neo answered, knowing that they'd finish this conversation at a later date.

"Yeah…yeah it does. Look, I know you want to talk about it. Maybe we will one day, but it's a memory I'd rather suppress. I have done rather well until today, not even noticing the similarities between the two." Ruby explained.

"Ok. I'll hold you to that, are you ready?" Neo asked.

"Yeah, let's do it." Ruby said, and shortly afterwards she saw the two white fang guards.

Jumping down from her perch she said to her team and Professor, "I've just spotted two people wandering around, dressed as White Fang guards. They don't know about us, let's follow them." Ruby said, readily getting everyone to agree and so they followed them.

Taking out the two guards once they got to the entrance, they started the long walk down the stairs and as they got to halfway down the stairs they heard Roman ordering people around.

"Let's move." Ruby said, vaulting the rail as she landed onto the ground in a roll, sword and shield deploying at a moment's notice.

"Hello dear Roman, miss me?" Ruby said playfully as her team landed around her.

"Get the train running. Now!" Roman shouted, running after the slowly fleeing vehicle.

"You can run Roman, but you can't hide." Ruby shouted back, charging forward for the train, knocking away anyone getting in her way.

Boarding the train, they climbed on top and started going across the train, only to discover that the back carriages had explosives inside to blow holes in the ceiling and bring Grimm into the tunnels.

"Stop this train. Yang, Blake, Weiss drop into the carriages below." Ruby ordered, having got far enough that there were no more explosives inside, "Stop the train as best you can. The Professor and I are going to stop it alone the top." Ruby ordered.

"Got it." Yang said, and jumped down below and the others following. Ruby didn't notice how her tattoo stirred as she jumped onto the next carriage but instead focused on attacking the Paladins with the help of the teacher.

Fighting through the suits was rather easy, the two working well together and Ruby's sword made short work of them and the shield blocking all the strikes from them. But it seemed her team had failed in stopping the train as the end was rapidly approaching.

Meeting her team at the front of the train they discovered the brake was broken and so Weiss erected an ice shield around them, further enhanced by Ruby's protective field emitted by her shield.

Crashing into the town centre, Ruby was the first to recover as she saw Grimm flooding into the area. "Run! Leave the area now! We'll cover you." Ruby shouted out, her sword back at her waist as her pistols were taken out and she picked off Grimm that were near the civilians.

It seemed the sound of her guns were enough to get people moving and sprinting away from the area as quickly as possible. With everyone else recovering as well it made it easier to stop the Grimm.

But as she was fighting, she couldn't help the thoughts crossing her mind. If I use my powers I could end this, especially at full power. But then I risk exposing myself to everyone and it's too early. This threat isn't the one.

Luckily she was saved from making the decision as teams JNPR and CFVY dropped in and helped finish off the Grimm alongside Ironwood's androids.

Roman slowly came out of the hole where the train had punched through and Ruby was there in an instance, her sword was held at his neck and everyone paused.

Shocked at the display that Ruby, or rather Claire as they knew it was doing. Velvet and Claire's team could see the look in her eyes, and it was one of cold calculation as it was clear that Ruby wanted to run her blade along his neck.

"Miss Church! Stand down!" Glynda shouted, coming over to the group, seemingly the only one not frozen by the display.

Ruby just stared at Roman, her hand twitching as she thought about it. Contemplated how easy it would be to do it.

"Claire! Stand down, please." Glynda said, noticing how Ironwood's androids were moving over to the pair.

Ruby thought for another moment, meeting Velvet's eyes before moving on to Blake. Retracting her sword, she instead slapped Roman around the face with her wrist, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.

"Twice the threat has not been eliminated, it will not happen a third." Ruby said softly that no one actually heard her.

Walking away Ruby closed her eyes as Roman was arrested and taken away. Taking a few moments to herself to calm her blood and actually relax after the fighting.

As the people all met in the middle they started to discuss what they would do now, unsure what to do as going back to Beacon didn't feel right in that moment.

"I have a place in town, not far from here. We can go there, relax a little bit before returning home. The offer is open to anyone who doesn't wish to return to Beacon." Ruby offered.

In the end only a few people took her up on the offer, Velvet and Coco did, alongside Ruby's team but the others just wanted to go back to Beacon and sleep.

Ruby led them back to her house, sending Amber a message to warn her of the guests. Entering the house, Amber greeted Ruby warmly and surprisingly greeted Velvet warmly, at least to the surprise of the others except Ruby.

"We'll order pizza, everyone write down what it is you want and I'll sort it out. Have a seat anywhere and just relax. Amber, Velvet could I speak to you alone for a minute please?" Ruby requested.

Ruby took the pair into the kitchen and away from everyone and she turned on them and said, "Amber, meet Velvet, the Spring Maiden. Velvet, meet Amber the Fall Maiden." Ruby stated, doing quick introductions. "Now on to what I want to talk to you about, Amber already knows but I think it's wise to tell you what's been happening." Ruby said.

Ruby proceeded to tell Velvet about what had nearly happened to Amber and then what had befallen the Winter Maiden, she reinforced the fact that Velvet was actually unknown to anyone but the Brotherhood and Ruby, and now Amber. But she told them both of her plan for the tournament to have both of them close by in case something happens.

"Hey guys, everyone's getting pretty hungry." Coco said, entering the kitchen. She had chosen to be the one to walk in as she knew about Velvet and a little about Ruby so it was safer.

"Right. Come on." Ruby said, getting everyone back into the living room as she ordered the pizza.

As they were relaxing in front of the TV a movie being played, Blake sat closer to Ruby so they could speak.

"At the ruined house, was what you said true?" Blake asked.

"Was what true?" Ruby asked, guessing but hoping that she hadn't heard.

"Was…was my ancestor really one of the original Huntresses?" Blake asked, stuttering a little.

"Yeah…yeah she was. She was brilliant, wielded the biggest axe I've ever seen. And she was so good with it, it was amazing to watch." Ruby said, hoping that Ruby hadn't heard her conversation with Neo.

"So she was a Faunus, right?" Blake asked.

"She was. She let it be known wherever she went. In those times everyone was equal. The Grimm wanted you dead, so they didn't care what you were. It was rather a simpler time, nicer in some ways. Lily and I were close; I'd be happy to tell you about her some other time." Ruby said, and was saved by the doorbell ringing.

The rest of the night fell into fun chat and eating food. But eventually they had to leave, with Ruby confirming she'd be by in a few days to get her settled and ready for the stay at Beacon.

 **A/N**

 **So I've got my laptop back, had it for about a week now and it's all good now. Thank fuck for that, so I'll be carrying on my writing and stuff.**

 **This chapter is shorter because of where it ends off as after this I go into volume three stuff, which I'll happily admit is only around nine thousand words until we're done. So I do skip through a lot of it, avoiding writing out some battle scenes and stuff but that's it.**

 **After this is finish in say three or four weeks I'll be taking another little break and then I'll be deciding where I go from there, depending just on what I end up writing will depend on what I'll be posting but that's a problem for future me.**

 **That's about it, sorry for it being a little late as well. Wasn't feeling well last night and ended up going to bed earlier than normal for me, but hopefully it won't happen again.**

 **Until next time.**

 **PS, I'm looking for quotes just on anything. So if you have a favourite quote or something why not post it in a review or PM me? I might use it, my library is a little short and I'm too lazy to look.**


	13. Chapter 13

" _The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on." -Ulysses S. Grant_

 **Chapter 13-**

 **Two weeks later**

The tournament had started in earnest, the first round already passing with Ruby's team winning their match. And they even went on to watch some of the other matches.

In this time Amber, or as she was known currently, Maya. Was also at the school with Ruby, under the identity that she was a student from Shade who had come to watch the tournament.

Amber's new look kept her eyes the same colour but her head a light blonde colour alongside changing her outfit completely.

Wearing a black skirt with a white shirt and blouse over the top, her staff was nowhere in sight but rather in its smaller form in her pocket. And Ruby made it a point to teach Amber how to fight with a sword instead of just her staff, to give her some form of defence.

After the start of the second rounds though she was sitting there with Weiss watching some of the other matches when she seemed to freeze upon seeing an airship coming in.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked kindly, but she guessed.

"My sister." Weiss said softly and they were quick to make it to the dock in order to meet Weiss' sister off the ramp.

Ruby messaged Amber, telling them to meet her at the docks alongside sending a message to Corvus to arrange a meeting that night.

Ruby watched with interest as Weiss interacted with her sister and introduced Ruby or rather Claire as her friend, smiling Ruby took the chance.

"Claire Church, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Schnee." Ruby said sweetly, holding out her hand to Winter.

Winter took the offered hand and was about to return the greeting when there was a flash of recognition. Speaking softly, she said, "Summer?"

Ruby smirked in response, being close enough to hear what she had said but didn't call her on it, "I think this is the part where you introduce yourself back." Ruby said.

"Ah yes, sorry." Winter replied, recovering. "Call me Winter, it's a pleasure to meet a friend of Weiss' but I'm afraid I must be going, I need to meet with the General." Winter said, "But I'd like to speak to you, Weiss once I've finished, if that is alright?" Winter asked.

"Of course. Until then." Weiss answered.

Ruby, Amber and Weiss followed Winter with the androids with her until two of them were destroyed and Qrow revealed himself.

"Stay close to me, he shouldn't recognise us, but I'm not taking any chances." Ruby mumbled to Amber and protectively stood in front of her as she watched the ensuring fight.

During the fight however, Qrow met Ruby's eyes and although they were purple instead of silver something seemed to flash in his eyes, alongside flickering down to Ruby's shield which was deployed, and the girl standing behind the girl.

Halting the fight just in time for Glynda and Ironwood to arrive, the pair were taken away to the headmaster's office as the students were dismissed.

 **One hour later, Ozpin's office**

"Amber's here." Qrow stated, the other members were with them and Winter had long since left when he spoke.

"I'm sure we would all notice if Amber was here." Glynda promised.

"Not unless she's in disguise." Qrow shot back.

"Why would she be in disguise? She has nothing to fear from us. Or anyone here for that matter, Spring is a student here as well, protected. So why would she be in disguise?" Ironwood asked.

"That girl, Claire Church. She uses the same weapon as the woman who saved Amber and hid her from us. I think they are one and the same. I saw someone with Amber and she was hiding behind her, looking worried during the fight." Qrow informed them.

"Miss Church has been a student here since the fresh intake. No incident with her at all, except for a couple professors telling us that she seems to have more knowledge then most of the other students. Mainly Dr Oobleck, she knows about the battle involving Commander Violet and Ashleigh Belladonna and about the founders." Glynda explained.

"Why wasn't I told before? If she knows about that, alongside the fact her weapons match up with Amber's attack, surely you can see the connections. That battle was the last report of someone with the Summer Maiden's power fighting, a Maiden that no one in the brotherhood knew about. Surely you noticed!" Qrow exclaimed loudly.

"We did, but other than some really faint connections, there isn't any evidence to prove this. And we can't really risk exposing this to someone who is just another Huntress in training." Ironwood explained.

"Why don't we move on to other matters? Like that of the Winter Maiden." Ozpin said, redirecting the conversation.

 **That evening, Beacon gardens.**

Ruby was sitting down at one of the tables, no one else was around and she had four cups of tea set out, Amber sat next to her still in her disguise, not wanting to risk being seen. Winter sat opposite Ruby and they waited for their last person.

Seemingly out the darkness the large man known as Corvus appeared and sat down, his long black hair hanging down and his large bulk carefully sat into the chair.

"Hello everyone, I'm glad you could all make it." Ruby said pleasantly.

"Honoured Maiden's, it's my pleasure to serve." Corvus said, bowing lightly towards the two women.

"Summer, Fall. A pleasure as always, though I must ask that we be quick. I should have left already." Winter stated.

"Right, you're the only ones close enough at the moment that I can speak to and trust enough for this." Ruby said. "There's a war coming. Everyone can see it, there's hints and undertones of it. Has been for a while now, and if what I've been told is correct. It's going to be big, and I mean really big. Winter, if possible I need you to stay around for as long as you can. Maybe keep your ship along the boarders when it happens, having all the Hunters and Huntresses possible could help turn the tide." Ruby explained.

"I can keep my ship near the boarders, away from scans and hidden until you call." Winter promised.

"Thank you, and I promise to do my best to keep your sister safe. Now the next part is a little harder, I know you've been made aware that the Winter Maiden has been attacked and in a coma, but her location is unknown." Ruby explained.

"I've had my people looking for her and we've been using agents within the Atlas Military to attempt to track her but we've gotten nothing back." Corvus informed them.

"I think I know where, but I can't confirm it quite yet. Here." Ruby said, pulling out a paper map or rather schematics. "This is the school. Underneath the school is a large vault, only two ways in. From the Headmaster's office or a secret entrance in the forest. Corvus, I need you to study this map with your team and have ways to defend it and keep it secure. If the Maiden is down there, when this war arrives you need to guard her." Ruby ordered.

"As you wish, so shall it be done." Corvus said, taking the schematics and looking at them briefly.

"That is it. Corvus, if you could stay close to the school it'd do my mind some rest." Ruby said.

"May I ask about Sarah? Why she isn't here with us?" Winter asked.

"She isn't a fighter, and I've kept her away from everything except for her protection of Spring. I'll keep her updated as and when she needs to be." Ruby replied, "You can all go, Corvus. I need to speak to you for a moment." Ruby said, dismissing them all.

"I will see you again soon Ruby, thank you." Winter said, actually hugging Ruby lightly before leaving, whereas Amber was a little bit more hesitant.

"It'll be fine, why don't you start heading back to your room and I'll meet you there shortly." Ruby promised.

"Ok." Amber said, still a little unsure but started making her way back, with Winter even offering to walk her back to her room.

"What is it you ask of me?" Corvus asked.

Instead of answering Ruby reached into her jacket and produced a non-descriptive bullet and placing it in front of Corvus.

The large man picked it up into his hand and looked at it, noticing a small inscription on the side, Fate's deliverance but chose not to say anything, waiting for Ruby to speak.

"You're the best shot out of anyone I know, and I can already predict that the vault will become a battlefield, and I need you to promise something. I know you prefer your claws, but I need you to promise me that you'll load that bullet into your rifle for me, and if things take a bad turn. You'll fire that bullet at me. Directly into my heart." Ruby said, her voice was hard and cold.

"But Ruby, I can't. I took a vow to protect you, never to hurt you." Corvus said, using Ruby's real name for the first time.

"I need you to. I have a bad feeling about what's coming, and I need to know that you can do this. I can't explain it, but I feel like this could end badly and I want to know you can pull the trigger and put that bullet into my heart. Promise me." Ruby stressed, making sure it was clear how badly she wanted the man to agree.

Corvus took the bullet and took out a rifle from his back. It was rather large and didn't seem like a normal person could wield such a weapon. Taking out the magazine he emptied it and only put the bullet Ruby had given him inside. "I pray that it will not come to that, but if it does. It has been my honour to serve you Honoured Maiden." Corvus said, standing up and bowing to the woman down to one knee.

"Thank you. But the honour is mine. Your family has faithfully served since the beginning and I am glad that if it was to end that your family would be by my side." Ruby said truthfully, pulling the larger man up from his knees and engulfing him into a hug.

"Thank you." Ruby mumbled before breaking the hug.

Corvus left shortly after, leaving Ruby sitting at the table. Eyes closed as she thought through what had just happened and she couldn't stop the force of her powers spreading out of her body and into the area around her.

"You might as well come out Blake, I know you've been there since the start so you might as well come out. Your questions are basically screaming out of your mind." Ruby said lazily, relaxing for a moment until she knew the conversation that was to follow.

 **A/N**

 **Right, so another chapter posted. And we're getting closer to the end, two maybe three more chapters.**

 **As I'm sure you can guess, next chapter will be a talk between Ruby and Blake with a little Neo in there. It'll explain a few things regarding Lily and Ashleigh Belladonna and while I don't go too much into Jaune's family for the moment, I promise to do that once I get into the sequel.**

 **Now a few admin bits, first off. Please don't demand I do something or have to do something otherwise I will very likely tell you to fuck off, and while I am rather crude I don't partially like certain types of crude reviews that seem to have no relevance.**

 **Last bit of admin, after this is finished I'll either be taking some time off posting stuff or will begin updating the following week, depends how much I get done. My plan now, which is final. I've got three stories I want to finish, the Gun Gale Online story, Singing To Hide The Suffering, and then a new story that'll be called The Crescent Rose. My plan is to alternate each week which I update on a three-week cycle, during this time I'll be working to either finish Legends of the Rose or I'll be working on my Gate x RWBY story, currently unsure. But provided I finish Legends I'll be working on Valetown Tales and then the sequel to Immortal Maidens, which currently doesn't have a name.**

 **That is, pretty much my plan. The three stories are more or less set in stone but the other parts will be depending on my mood and what I want to work on, I've been wanting to write Neo for a while which is why I'm working on The Crescent Rose.**

 **But that's it, all the stuff I wanted to say. So thank you for reading and until next time.**


	14. Chapter 14

_"Smile, because it confuses people. Smile because it's easier than explaining what's killing you inside"- The Joker_

 **Chapter 14-**

"How did you know I was there?" Blake asked, coming out of the shadows to sit opposite Ruby.

"Everyone emits a certain signature. It's an unconscious thing, and very few know how to understand them. It is how I am recognised by people even though I look different. I could feel yours following me ever since I left the room earlier. So we might as well get this over with, I've been avoiding this since I revealed to you the truth." Ruby explained.

"Where should I start?" Blake asked.

"Wherever you want, we can start with tonight's topics or with the other questions that's been in your mind for quite a while, since the blowout with Weiss." Ruby said.

"How…how did you know that?" Blake asked, shocked that Ruby knew that.

"I mentioned someone with your last name, by nature you would be curious." Ruby stated, a little sad at the mention of the topic.

"I feel as if I should start from somewhere else. Perhaps with what you were discussing today, could you tell me about it?" Blake asked softly.

"Wait one moment." Ruby said, and there was a flicker to the side of both of them and Neo dressed in her gothic outfit appeared, "Blake, meet Neo. Neo, meet Blake. Again." Ruby said, smiling as she kissed the woman on the cheek before getting her to sit down.

"Wait. Neo's been here?" Blake asked.

"I have, with Mercury and Emerald. I know some of their plans now, so I can tell you." Neo replied.

"Good, but first Blake has some questions about my meeting with the others, so it's only fair that I tell you both at once." Ruby said.

"The Winter Maiden was attacked, put into a coma with half her powers stolen. Currently I don't know where she is, however I have an idea that she is in a vault underneath the school itself but I won't be able to check just yet." Ruby explained.

"How do you know there's a vault under the school?" Blake asked.

"Because I helped build the school. I was the one who designed said vault for my use and that of Jonas and Lily, somewhere private to train, experiment or to just get away from everything. I handed over the plans to Corvus who leads a six-man Hunter team so they would be able to secure the vault if, rather when the war comes." Ruby said.

"What war?" Blake asked.

Instead of Ruby answering, Neo cut in, "Cinder wants the Maiden's power for herself and wants to rule or something. I've been able to discover that my part is to get Roman out of prison and then we'll be destroying the other Dreadnaughts in the sky above Vale before uploading a virus to take out the androids." Neo explained.

"How did you find this all out?" Ruby asked.

"They think I'm mute. It's rather easy for them to talk around someone they think can't spill the beans about everything." Neo replied with her trademark smirk.

"Right. That puts things into a worse light, what more is there?" Ruby asked.

"She has control of the tournaments line up, able to choose who faces who. I'm not sure exactly but I think she plans on messing with the matches. I know the end game is to have Grimm invade the city and something about a 'him' awakening." Neo explained, confused as she saw Ruby pale at her last comment.

"Ok…ok, thank you Neo. I'll have to think on it all, but that's not the point. Blake, questions?" Ruby asked.

"Why did…Corvus was it? Why did he bow to you and call you honoured maiden?" Blake asked.

"Some families when the Maiden's first appeared worshiped them, over the years it was passed down. Corvus is a part of one such family, there are a number that I've worked with over the years who know my secret, sworn to secrecy and basically are around in case I need their help. Some are doctors, some are soldiers, hunters, even administration staff in the Kingdoms governments. If I call, they answer. Winter is one such person, and so is Corvus. Normally if I need a job done I'll call one of them but this time I've had to take a more direct path." Ruby explained.

"I see. One last thing about the meeting, why did you give Corvus a bullet?" Blake asked.

"It contains a strong neuro toxin, shuts the body down in seconds but if it hits an organ then the bullet will completely destroy it and lodge itself there, while spreading the toxin. I asked him to hold onto it for me. He's the best shot out of everyone." Ruby answered, but glaring at Blake so she didn't call out her lie.

"I guess it's to the harder stuff now, you said in class about a woman named Ashleigh Belladonna and then when we were at Mount Glenn you spoke to the professor about Lily Belladonna, and also a Jonas Arc. Am I…?" Blake asked but trailed off.

"You are. Both you and Jaune are descendants of the first to hunters." Ruby closed her eyes as she forced the memories back of the two, Neo grabbing her hand and rubbing the back with her thumb.

"You already know I was close friends with them. They were my first true friends, and we did so much together. You look a lot like Lily, you know?" Ruby said lightly, staring at Blake. "But what do you want to know about them?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know, anything really. What about that battle you mentioned with Ashleigh?" Blake said.

"Ah, that's a little complicated if you don't know the history. On their deathbeds, Lily and Jonas both made me promise to watch over their families. They told me to let their descendants forge their own path in the world, but simply to watch over them to keep them safe. So I swore an oath to them, and I've watched over every generation in some capacity, normally keeping an eye on them while not getting directly involved. I vowed to them that I would never pick sides, but I broke that vow." Ruby said.

"When it came to Ashleigh things were a little more complicated, mainly because of the Faunus war. It was an easy choice on which side to choose for me, but there was a problem. James Arc was fighting against the Faunus and in turn against Ashleigh." Ruby replied, stopping for a moment as she fought back the memories once more.

"What did you do?" Blake inquired.

"I did the wrong thing. Instead of confronting James first and getting him to see our side or rather as I later learnt, get him out, he was press ganged into fighting although he only wished to fight the Grimm. Instead of doing that I fought alongside Ashleigh, protected her. That battle I mentioned in class, James was on the other side. I managed to get him to change sides during the fighting but it was close, if I wasn't there first he would have died or maybe would have killed a number of Faunus before being killed. It wasn't until after the battle that I discovered what had happened and how I made the wrong choice." Ruby explained, squeezing Neo's hand harder.

"Why did you side with Ashleigh then?" Blake asked, curious as to why Ruby sided with her family over the Arcs.

Ruby closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. Not wanting to admit the truth, Neo already had a hint as to Ruby's reasons but didn't dare say them aloud.

However, Blake had no reservations as she seemed to realise Ruby's reason, "You loved Lily." Blake stated softly.

"I did." Ruby replied weakly, her voice almost shaky as she attempted to speak.

"What happened? I mean something must have happened." Blake said, trying to understand what Ruby was saying.

Ruby laughed darkly as she heard Blake trying to work everything out, "Life happened. Don't worry I'm not one of your ancestors. We broke it off, we couldn't be together. I'm immortal, she wasn't. She ended up bonding, sorry marrying a man and having two beautiful children. A boy and a girl, it seemed all the Belladonna women were cursed with looking at least a little bit like Lily." Ruby said darkly, unable to help herself.

"But surely you could have been together for her life? You wouldn't have needed to break it off." Blake replied.

"Remember my soul mark? It tells me who my soulmate is, or rather hints at me when they're close. Right now it's driving me up the wall." Ruby replied.

"Wait. Is Neo…?" Blake said, shocked as she looked between the two.

"She is. I don't regret what I've done, nor do I mind about my soulmate. I love Neo without its interference, so I rightly don't care what it says this time, I'm going to be with Neo." Ruby said strongly.

"I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories." Blake said after a pause.

"You had a right to know, I'm not going to fault you for that. But I think you should get to bed, early day and all tomorrow." Ruby said, and Blake nodded in reply, saying her goodnights and leaving the pair alone.

Neo quickly swung up onto Ruby's lap though there was a pause. "How about we get the annoying part out first." Neo suggested.

"Right…basically, don't get Roman out of Prison. Instead warn the captain of an immediate Grimm threat and get the hell out of there. I'd rather you be at the school and close by." Ruby replied.

"Ok then, I'll do that. Now." Neo said, leaning down to capture Ruby's lips.

* * *

 **Two days later.**

To say Ruby was pissed was an understatement. She had just watched Yang's match against Mercury. Seen what had happened between the two where Yang had seemingly unprovoked just kneecapped Mercury, but she could see through the illusions.

Except the fact she knew of Mercury's robotic legs she had seen the illusion happening alongside the real life event that everyone was watching.

This is their plan. Bring the crowd and world to dark emotions to lure the Grimm in. Which means something worse than this is to come. Ruby thought to herself, and knew she needed to keep a closer watch on things.

She'd already started watching Pyrrha, noticing the brotherhoods interest in the woman but now she was to be distracted by Yang and the fallout of this event.

Her team was next to her alongside the others as they watched Yang get escorted away by the guards for the event and she frowned, the military shouldn't be involved in this.

But no matter, it's easy enough to sort out. Sending a couple messages, she got her new plan into motion and went back to her room with her team.

* * *

Ruby had drowned out Ironwood's speech to Yang, not caring for it but pretended to at least look interested in case she was called out on it.

However, when Yang tried to stand up to herself Ironwood yelled, "ENOUGH!"

Ruby stood up and got close to Ironwood, blocking his view of Yang at the same time. "Yes General, enough. I've heard enough of you putting Yang down, if you did your fucking job properly then we wouldn't be in this mess. Students with Semblances, perhaps one with manipulation, quite a solid reason especially with the knowledge you know of what to come." Ruby threw at him, shocking him but Ruby continued.

"I'm sure we both know how dangerous I am. So let's leave Yang out of it, when she is barely a threat to the likes of what we know. Now I kindly ask that you leave, or I will forcefully make you leave this room." Ruby said, anger barely contained as even her shield activated and flared red.

As Ruby finished speaking the door opened wide, the two guards outside not even looking fazed by what had happened inside.

Ironwood was shocked but turned to leave, trying to keep some dignity but at the same time quick to tell Ozpin what had happened, with Claire hitting the mark too many times there.

Once he had left the door was closed and Ruby just turned around and reached under the bed, pulling out a large crate that she had delivered not long ago.

"What was that? Why did you just explode at him?" Weiss asked, shocked at Claire's actions.

"That was amazing. Thank you Claire, I don't know how much more I could take of no one believing me." Yang said, hugging the woman but quickly released her.

Blake said nothing as she simply looked at Ruby, understanding what was happening and how close things were but at the same time couldn't help what she thought of Yang and comparing her to Adam.

Ruby didn't say a word as she opened the crate, filled with armour and she removed her jacket and started to change.

First she put her original outfit on, black trousers, combat boots, black shirt with a corset over the top, putting her choker into place before moving onto the armour.

She had chest armour that was put on first, before moving on and putting on armour on her lower leg, and then upper thigh. She put a vambrace on her right arm, whereas her left had the shield. Once she had put the armour on she stood up to her full height.

Ruby looked imposing with the black armoured pieces fitted onto her body, and removing a red and black folded up weapon from the crate she put it at the small of her back and wrapped a red cloak around her body.

She stood up to see Blake and Weiss slowly leaving, saying that they needed to go, leaving only Yang and Ruby left.

"Yang, I believe you and I know they both do. It'll just take them some time, for the moment relax and try not to overthink things, ok? I've got something I have to do, and if I don't see you later, I'll see you tonight. Ok?" Ruby said, comforting the woman.

"Ok. I'll try." Yang replied softly.

Smiling lightly Ruby left the room, turning to the two guards, "If things start happening, you need to escort her to the other students. If they're fighting you get her to meet them and aid in the defence. Hopefully it won't come to that, but you'll guard her. Ok?" Ruby said to the two of them.

"As you command, so shall it be done Maiden." The two men said, bowing their heads lightly.

Ruby nodded her appreciation to them both and went to find Pyrrha but upon discovering she had been called to Ozpin's office she instead changed where she was heading.

 **A/N**

 **So, I'm not allowed to ever watch any anime or play new games while I'm supposed to be finishing stories off. Because it makes me get so many ideas that it very easily annoys me.**

 **Anyway, debating between one or two more chapters before it's finished and depending on where I am with the other stories I'll either take a break or start posting the following week. Still unsure.**

 **That's pretty much it, once more remember that this is already all written out and I won't be changing anything else.**

 **Also I'm unsure if I've already mentioned it or not, but I want to say that anything inappropriate posted in the reviews, I will delete the review.**

 **Until next time.**


	15. Chapter 15

_Send your guardians, they will fail, legends and heroes will crumble and fall. You will not prevail. -Divide, RWBY._

 **Chapter 15-**

Putting her hood up Ruby used her speed to get to the other entrance and was in the vault before the others arrived, giving her a chance to see the Winter Maiden kept inside a machine with another pod. "Just what are you planning?" Ruby mumbled to herself as she looked at the machine, but hearing voices echo down the tunnel she hid herself, listening to what was going.

"That's…" Pyrrha started to say and Ruby slowly moved out of her hiding place.

"Classified." Ironwood immediately said.

"Wrong!" Ruby said at the same time as Pyrrha, causing everyone to turn and look at her, even going for weapons.

"Ah." Ruby said, holding up a finger, her face hidden beneath her hood. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, I can bring this whole place down in seconds." Ruby threatened, and although it wasn't true she let the threat linger.

"Who are you? How did you get down here?" Glynda asked, her power already forming around her.

"Names, names. Always so important, yet a name can be changed as simply as writing a word. As for how I got down here, a second entrance within the forest itself." Ruby replied playfully, and seeing the shock on their faces it was clear they didn't know of the second entrance.

"You didn't know? Oh this is brilliant." Ruby replied.

"How did you know of the forest entrance?" Ozpin asked, not surprised about the other entrance.

"It's rather easy when you've designed the building, more particularly this vault. I must say, it is a good place for you to commit murder. I wonder just what the Fates would think of what you'll be doing to her. They don't take kindly to people who mess with it, I assure you." Ruby said.

"You haven't answered us. Just who the hell are you? And what do you want?" Ironwood said.

"You already know me, but maybe not directly. As to what I want, that is simple. The safety of humanity from the Grimm and the protection of the Maiden's, which you have failed in twice within the last few months." Ruby explained coldly.

"You're the one that helped Amber. You're the Summer Maiden." Qrow said, realising just who was in front of them.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But what you plan to do, I can't allow that." Ruby said, a pistol appearing in her hand as she pointed it towards Pyrrha. "I am truly sorry Pyrrha, you shouldn't have been caught up in all of this." Ruby said mournfully, doing a complete one-eighty she looked at the machine and fired six bullets into it but made sure to miss the life support for the Winter Maiden.

"What have you done?!" Ironwood exclaimed loudly.

"Prepare for what is to come. He is awakening. Be prepared." Ruby said darkly, vanishing in a flash of rose petals.

* * *

Ruby went to search out to search for Velvet, finding her taking pictures caused her to smile and she even saw Sarah standing a little to the side, pointing her finger towards the woman she gestured towards Velvet, asking them to talk together.

"Hey, I'm going to be disappearing for a little bit today and I won't be around. If what I feel is true, shit will be hitting the fan quite soon. Something's coming, and if it's anything like what I think you need to get Velvet out of here." Ruby said.

"I'm not running away." Velvet stated firmly.

"You won't be; I'm going to give the same order to Corvus for Amber. It won't be safe for anyone to remain here; do you understand Sarah?" Ruby asked, turning to look at the pink haired woman.

"I understand, I'll speak to Corvus and prepare accordingly." Sarah replied.

"Thank you. And Velvet, it won't be for any reason other than to keep you all safe. It won't just be you two escaping but rather everyone that we can get. Understand?" Ruby asked, looking at Velvet.

"But…I understand." Velvet said reluctantly, not happy with it but knowing she couldn't argue with Ruby.

"Thank you." Ruby said, hugging both women before she went off towards the arena. Scroll in hand as she spoke to both Winter and Corvus before looking for Mercury.

Entering into the medical wing of the arena Ruby immediately put a burst of her powers into the air around her, smirking as she found the room Mercury was in.

She pretended to act shocked at seeing Mercury on his feet, even going so far as to attempt to make a call for help on her scroll but found that he had destroyed it.

"You're going to wish you didn't do that." Ruby said darkly, standing up to her full height when Mercury destroyed one of the scrolls.

It was effortless to lift Mercury into the air, throwing him around and she chased him down the corridor until they got to the tunnel leading into the arena where she threw him into the middle.

* * *

Pyrrha had just killed Penny, Ruby left an unconscious Mercury in the tunnel as she hid herself in the shadow of the tunnel, waiting to see what would happen as all the monitors were taken over.

" _This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men. Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference. And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honour and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither."_

" _Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves."_

" _As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our Kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark."_

" _So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?"_

Throughout this Ruby felt the Grimm coming, the sounds of hundreds of deaths along the borders as the Grimm moved towards the negative emotions.

Opening her second scroll she sent several people messages, all containing the same word. _"Active."_ As she finished sending the message she saw that the message Cinder was sending had ended and a Nevermore had broken through the barrier, stopping just before a still shocked Pyrrha.

Acting upon years of instincts Ruby's hand lit up in flames and fired it at the creature. Engulfing it entirely in fire.

Sprinting forward with her enhanced speed, she flipped up into the air as she deployed her scythe. Decapitating the creature in a single blow, she put it down into the ground as she landed in front of Pyrrha.

She didn't even notice her hood was removed revealing her disguised identity for everyone to see. Raising her hand out, she absorbed the flames off the dead creature back into her hand as she looked to see the shocked faces of a number of students. All of which had their weapons out and ready to kill the creature but were instead shocked into silence as they looked at Ruby, or rather Claire.

As the flames moved back into her hand, the movement and action of bringing the flames back meant her disguise vanished. Her eyes becoming silver and her hair returning back to it's black-red colour.

"General!" Ruby shouted, her voice resonating around the arena. "Get your ships into position to start attacking the Grimm. And start evacuating people." Ruby ordered.

Not listening to his reply, she didn't truly care as she instead looked to the others, "My name is Summer Ruby Rose! Summer Maiden and Shadow. Your home is in trouble, under threat from the oldest of evils. You are asked who you can trust, I can assure you it is not that woman. Trust in the Hunters and Huntresses. Countless generations before have done so in worse situations. You can now." Ruby shouted, her voice still resonating around the entire arena. Some that had not run away, even those that were could all hear her voice and were somehow comforted by it.

Ruby saw a number of the Hunter teams arriving in the arena around her and she couldn't help but smile at them all. This was the legacy her friends had, people willing to fight and die to protect people.

"I won't ask any of you to fight. It's not my place, but if you want to defend your school and kingdom, even if it isn't your own. Then follow me." Ruby said, looking around to see their faces change from shocked to determined.

Faintly Smiling Ruby led the group to the docks, checking her scroll to see a series of messages. First was Winter, _'Moving in now. ETA ten minutes, orders?'_ The message read and Ruby quickly answered, _'Extraction of Winter Maiden then head to Beacon docks and await further instructions.'_

After that she came to Corvus' message, _'We're in. Awaiting further instructions on how to proceed.'_ It was easy enough for Ruby to answer, _'Stay hidden but protect the Maiden at any cost.'_

Lastly she got a message from Neo, telling her that the Captains were warned and that she was on her way to the school.

As they came to the arena's docks they saw the sky full of Grimm Griffons but the three dreadnaughts in the air were opening fire, their weapons taking large numbers of Grimm with every barrage.

"General." Ruby said calmly, approaching the man, "You should Join Qrow and Glynda in the city, we'll hold the school grounds." Ruby said.

At that moment, Sarah, who was in the crowd with Velvet came running over to her, "Honoured Maiden, we've secured transport. Ready to leave on your command." The woman said, her bow in her hand as she waited for a reply.

"Thank you Sarah, tell everyone to get on board. I need to speak to the General here." Ruby informed her, who just bowed and directed the students onto the waiting ship.

"Who was that? Why did she call you that? She's a teacher." Ironwood stated.

"I have agents everywhere General, but that is not the point. You need to get as many people as you can onto your ships and be prepared to evacuated the city entirely." Ruby stated.

"We have the situation under control. We won't need to do that." Ironwood replied firmly.

"General, you must be prepared to abandon the city. Unless you want what happened in your Kingdom to happens here, but I am not asking you. I am telling you. If what I believe comes to past, there won't be a Vale left to fight for or anyone to fight for her." Ruby stated coldly, turning on her heels as she boarded the aircraft with the others.

As she got onto the aircraft it immediately took off, with Sarah at the controls while the students were standing around in the back, looking towards her.

Though Coco, Velvet, and Amber weren't looking at her with the same shock and confusion as the others were.

"Who are you?" Yang asked.

"My real name is as I said, Summer Ruby Rose. One of the three founders of these schools, Immortal and one of four Maiden's." Ruby stated bluntly, "But at the moment it doesn't matter, let's focus what's in front of us. Grimm are attacking, you've agreed to fight by joining me on this ship." Ruby stated calmly.

"What's the plan?" Jaune asked.

"Simple. We fight, kill the Grimm. Protect the school grounds, we need to give them enough time to get everyone out of here." Ruby said.

"How do we know the grounds are the target? They could be all across the city." Sun stated.

"Trust me, the school is the target." Ruby said in reply, her word standing firm.

"Approaching the school now. Lots of Grimm on the ground and a lot of fighting between the Atlas military and Grimm. I can put us down near the docks." Sarah called out.

"Do it." Ruby ordered, walking to the rear door and opening the hatch.

"What are you doing?" Jaune called out.

"My duty. And Pyrrha, stand up and fight, or wallow in self-doubt. But do not leave this ship unless you know what you really want to do." Ruby said, falling out of the ship and towards the ground.

Spinning, she righted herself so she faced the ground while bringing her scythe into its rifle mode and started firing at the Grimm below.

She landed in a roll while deploying her weapon to its full mode and started fighting the Grimm around her. The soldiers rejoiced at the arrival of the armoured woman, clearly making a dent in the never ending Grimm and seeing more Hunters and Huntresses coming from the docks only brought them into higher spirits.

Ruby smiled at Pyrrha as she saw her fighting, said woman meeting her look and returning it. The fight was going pretty well, Ruby staying near Amber to help her but everyone was able to hold their own with their teams.

But that changed when there was an earthquake and a loud screeching noise echoed everywhere around them.

And it was the first time anyone saw Ruby's face pale, as she looked towards the large Dragon coming out of Mount Glenn.

Decapitating a series of Grimm, Ruby rushed a soldier to grab his radio, immediately contacting Ironwood and anyone else who would listen. "Priority message for anyone in Vale, evacuate immediately. Reach Atlas soldiers, get out of the city anyway you can. Just run. It's not safe here, not safe in Vale anymore. Run!" Ruby said firmly, speaking on an open frequency alongside Ironwood's channel.

"What's going on? Ruby?" Amber cried.

"You need to go, all of you. Winter's arriving, escape while you can. Where's Yang and Blake? Pyrrha and Jaune?" Ruby asked to everyone.

"I don't know where Yang and Blake are, but I saw Pyrrha and Jaune go somewhere with Ozpin inside." Nora informed her.

"Ok. Thank you, go to the docks, help anyone that you can. I'll go get them." Ruby ordered, running inside the building.

The two guards escorting Yang to the grounds, hearing that Hunters were there including someone wearing a red cloak, so they were leading Yang in that direction until she ran off in a different direction, yelling out for a woman named Blake.

Chasing after her they were in time to watch as Yang got her arm cut off by a man in a White Fang mask, while another woman was on the ground sitting in front of her to protect her.

The two men barely shared a look, deciding what to do as they jumped into the room, firing their rifles immediately. "Run! Now!" One of them shouted, watching as Adam turned and stalked towards them both.

Blake didn't waste any time as she carried Yang, while stumbling herself. Hearing the sounds of fighting behind her, and she tuned out the pained screams coming from the room behind her as she carried Yang to the grounds.

Ruby made it down to the vault in record time, the sound of fighting echoed around the chamber and as she opened the door she spotted Corvus and his group, flying around the large room as they darted around Cinder, who was getting increasingly annoyed at the flying men.

"Extract the package! Now!" Ruby ordered, knowing that Winter was outside the forest entrance waiting for Corvus and co.

Ruby dashed forward to meet Cinder's bow, cutting it in half in a single strike before she backhanded Cinder to the floor.

"Ozpin, Pyrrha, Jaune. Get topside now, extraction will be there shortly. We're leaving." Ruby ordered, her tone brokering no argument, not even from Ozpin.

Ruby saw out of the corner of her eye that Corvus was moving the Winter Maiden's life support pod out of the vault and away while she held Cinder there.

"So we meet again. I told you that it would be the last time we meet. Now I will ask out of respect, surrender and you will live. Continue to fight and I will kill you." Ruby said coldly, scythe held behind her back.

"I can't. You know I can't, not with her around. I've got no choice, for what it's worth, I am truly sorry." Cinder said, sounding sincere.

"So be it." Ruby said softly, understanding what had happened. Putting her scythe away she slowly walked to Cinder, who still had half her power around her body but Ruby just ignored it, looking to her other hand, the one not covered in bandages.

The two fought, Cinder attempting to stop Ruby from whatever she was doing, but Ruby soon disabled her, the same way she had done before. "Find peace." Ruby said softly, her hand lighting up with flames as she burnt her other hand.

Screaming in pain Cinder soon collapsed from the pain, just as Corvus came from one direction and Neo arrived from the elevator.

"Ruby!" Neo shouted out, rushing towards her.

" _Package secured. Moving to primary."_ Winter said in her ear, aboard her ship.

"Corvus, take Cinder. We're moving topside." Ruby said, taking Neo's hand into her own and putting a chaste kiss on her lips.

Rushing to the elevator they just managed to get outside when all the Grimm seemed to stop and a voice appeared in everyone's head.

" _You…you are still alive. After all this time, after everything you've done. You haven't decided to end it all. Interesting." The voice said, practically taunting someone._

"Of course not, fucker! Why don't you come down here and fight?" Ruby shouted back, only leading to questioning looks.

"What is that?" Neo asked, trying to work out what the talking was.

Just as Neo spoke the large creature that had come from inside the mountain came screeching into the air above Beacon. Grimm dropping off of its body all around but they didn't attack.

" _You will not win. You barely defeated one of us. And there was four of you. You are only one. You cannot hope to defeat me." The voice spoke._

"Him. But there's no time to explain it all. I need you to get onto that ship. All of you. Go!" Ruby ordered, pushing them towards the ship where the other students were waving towards them.

But it seemed the creature didn't like that and immediately the Grimm started to attack, all aiming for Ruby.

"Go, I'll catch up." Ruby shouted, weapon deployed alongside her shield as she fought the creatures attacking her.

" _You cannot escape. I will kill you here once and for all." The voice stated harshly, a coldness seeping into everyone's body._

"Yeah, that's what your friend said before, look where he ended. If I fall, it won't be by your hand!" Ruby shouted back, scythe decapitating a Beowulf Alpha in a single hit.

Flaring up with her powers, Ruby generated fire around her, slowly expanding the bubble catching the Grimm close to her inside, incinerating them.

"Ruby! Come on!" Neo yelled out, arriving at the transport and turned to see Grimm all crowding around Ruby.

Ruby looked at her situation only to see more Grimm coming from the dragon while those flying in the air were starting to come over, as well as Ironwood's fleet breaking away from the city. They would have no cover and the dragon was intent on killing Ruby, going so far as directing all the Grimm in the city to attack her.

It wouldn't be safe for Ruby to get onto the ship, not when they would be chased down by the Grimm if she was alive.

So making a decision Ruby said into her earpiece, "Corvus, take the shot. Winter. You need to get them out of here, keep them safe." Ruby said, and erupting fire all around her to give her a few seconds so she could put her sword and shield together, firing it at the ship, she watched as it landed inside and immediately activated a shield.

Corvus, hearing Ruby's message drew his large rifle, no magazine inside except for the bullet Ruby had given him. Upon seeing Ruby fire her shield. he pushed Neo back into the aircraft just in time to see the shield erect itself a few feet into the cargo bay, blocking everyone from doing anything but gave Corvus enough room to crouch on the ramp.

"Taking us up." The pilot said, getting them to hover in the air so Corvus had a clear line onto Ruby.

"What? What's going on?" Everyone seemed to say at once, but Corvus and Winter ignored them.

"Hurry up and take the shot! I can't keep us hovering here forever." The pilot shouted back, Winter standing next to her.

"It's hard when you don't keep it steady." Corvus replied calmly, looking at Ruby through his scope.

"Well it's hard to hover!" The pilot shot back.

"It's not that hard to hover. You've just got to stay there." Scarlet stated, ill-timed as he received a series of glares.

"Just hurry up. I've got two people bleeding out!" Winter shouted out, directing Sarah to help her in treating Blake.

"Shoot? Shoot who?" Neo cried out, and it took her a few moments to realise just who he was aiming at as she looked out the back and could see Ruby perfectly.

"NO!" Neo screamed just as Corvus fired. A loud bang echoing around the ship as his bullet tore out of his gun and seconds later they saw Ruby go down.

Neo could see the bullet in slow motion as the bullet went directly towards Ruby, hitting her in the chest and piercing through her armour on her right side and exploded out her back and into a Grimm behind her.

Neo reacted unconsciously as she vanished from the back of the ship, all the Grimm seemed to be uninterested in Ruby as soon as she hit the ground, and Neo saw why.

She was bleeding heavily from a wound in her chest. Picking Ruby up, struggling a little with her armour. The bullet, piercing through the armour and out the other side.

Teleporting once more, Neo got Ruby aboard the ship and immediately they started to take off. The Grimm having lost interest in them, seeing that Ruby was dead.

Neo sat there holding Ruby's body, sobbing uncontrollably as she held her. The others having refused to go anywhere near Ruby. Even when Neo begged Winter and Sarah to help her, they simply said that there was nothing they could do. Corvus having told them about the bullet, and it's use.

So Neo just sat there sobbing, blood leaking out from Ruby's body over her clothes, from both the entrance and exit wound as she sat there, the single hole remaining Neo of the hole in her heart now.

"Where are we going?" The pilot asked. Breaking the silence amongst them all.

"Atlas. Take us to Atlas." Winter said, looking around at the broken faces of the people around her. Most were worried about Blake and Yang, who were heavily wounded. With Yang losing part of her arm, while Blake had taken a sword to the stomach.

They were also broken from seeing Ruby, the woman who led them and had these amazing powers and knowledge, in a woman's arms, dead.

Amber sat next to Neo, holding back her own emotions as she tried to comfort Neo but even she couldn't help but feel broken with tears running down her face.

Sarah had moved away from Blake, doing all she could for the woman as she went to check on the prone Cinder, who was actually still breathing.

Corvus sat there, his face was betraying nothing of what he was thinking. But his entire posture screamed of defeat, and he couldn't even meet Neo's eyes as he stared at the ground.

"Atlas control, Atlas control. This is Four Seven Niner, I've got four…Three seriously wounded in need of immediate medical attention." The woman said, pausing for a few moments before adding, "And control, tell the General…tell him that…" Taking a breath, she took a few moments to think of the right words. Having worked for Ruby for many years.

"Tell him that Summer has fallen…I repeat, tell him that the Summer Maiden is KIA." The woman said, her voice breaking for the first time. Cutting the connection, she sealed the door leading back to the cargo bay, praying that it stopped the heart breaking sobs coming from behind, but it did nothing of the sorts, and only seemed to amplify them in her ears.

 **A/N**

 **So, this is the end. At least of this one, a sequel is in the works or at least started. But it won't be for a while until I carry on writing it as I want to finish other things first.**

 **So on that note, I've finished writing The Crescent Rose which I'll start posting next week and I'm currently working on finishing Singing to hide the suffering, after that it'll be the gun gale online story. Then I'm not sure.**

 **But that's my plan, so thank you for the continued support so far and I thank you for all the comments I've been getting on this story.**

 **So until next time.**


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